Caesar Salad from Scratch

I've been eating food for the "sick" these past few days.... arroz caldo.... chicken sopas... and this morning I made chicken congee but it tasted like AM!!!  So tonight, I said to myself .. no more sick food!

I cooked bacon, toasted whole wheat bread and made Caesar Salad from scratch!  Oh, did I mention I heated the baked beans in bacon grease????

I didn't measure the ingredients for the salad dressing so will just give an approximate amount.

Caesar Salad Dressing

1 egg yolk
1/4 t. French's mustard
2 T. Wesson Corn Oil
1/2 t. anchovy, mashed into paste
1/2 t. white wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Beat the egg yolk and mustard together with a spatula.  Gradually add the oil, then the anchovy paste and vinegar.  Drizzle over the lettuce leaves and garnish with the following:

3 pcs. bacon, crumbled
1 pc. whole wheat bread, toasted and cut into cubes
Parmesan cheese, grated

I only ate half of the Hunt's Baked Beans ... I really like it better than the plain Hunt's pork and beans.  There really is a difference in taste.

And also half  a Bacon sandwich.  Before I wouldn't be satisfied with just 1 sandwich, now I could barely finish my half. 

Hopefully, tomorrow night I can just eat salad with no meat.  But for tonight .. I'm trying to regain my strength from eating food for the "sick".

PS.... I enjoyed my grilled bangus this lunch time.  I just added rocksalt to the "butterflied" bangus and had it grilled "open faced".  That was the way they grilled the bangus in Boracay.  My fish turned out really yum!  It was like fried bangus... golden brown and crunchy but it was grilled.  I want to eat that again for lunch tomorrow.  I was too excited and hungry to take a photo.

Saturday Lunch at Basix, Dusit Hotel

This is a stale post already since I wasn't able to write this blog last Saturday, then I got sick with the very bad case of colds. I'm feeling better now but I still have to rest.

Instead of the usual family lunch here at home, my Ate treated us all for a lunch buffet at the Basix Restaurant, Dusit Hotel.

My Tita Portia and I arrived early, I took pictures while waiting for the buffet to open.

Bread Station

Appetizers

Salad Station (Took this photo after eating all my favorite food.)

Roasting Station

Grilling Station

Indian Station

Crepe Station

Sushi Station

Dimsum Station - they will steam after placing your order.

Dessert Station

Drinks Station - Beer, Red and White wine, juices and canned soda.

Then as soon as the clock stuck 11:30 am.... I noticed that they were going to serve Lechon! I immediately looked for Tita Portia and she dropped her bread plate and zoomed in on the pig.

I got my favorite from the Buffet .... a slice of Roast Prime Rib, then had it seared at the grilling station, few pieces of Ebi Tempura, just a small plate of Lechon, grilled shrimps and dimsum.

After getting all my favorite, I was able to relax already. I tried their Ceasar Salad and I really liked it! In fact, I got a second serving.

While I was at the Indian Station, I got Poppadom but waited for some Indian nationals to get their serving of the different kinds of pickles to go with the Poppadom, I just copied what they got.

For my dessert... I know I am not allowed, there were so many to choose from! But I only ordered from the crepe station, Dark Cherries with White Chocolate Sauce sprinkled with Almonds.

YUMmmmmmmmmmm we all enjoyed our food. I was not able to take pictures of the other hot dishes. Hahahaha was too busy eating. I can't wait for the next "invitation".

Yesterday was awful -Lili good!

Yesterday was the monthly lunch with the friends of my Mom and Tita Portia at Lili, Hyatt Hotel in Manila. We had the Dimsum Buffet. The wonderful thing about it, the food was prepared as we ordered. It wasn't sitting on steamers all day long.

I did not eat a lot because I was on a "diet". The food was "awfully" good! I ate mostly steamed food and just 1 piece of the deep fried taro puff. The seniors ate more than what I ordered.

We were given a piece of paper and we wrote down how many pieces we liked, e.g.

• Siomai


• Hakaw


• Xiao Long Pao


• Baked Barbecue Puff Pastry


• Steamed Barbecue Buns


• Masachi


• Custard Buns


• Soya fried noodles


• chicken feet


• radish cake


• spareribs
• congee


• spring rolls

The list went on and on ....

I think they have the best Barbecue Puff Pastry. I really wanted to eat a lot but I was controlling myself. I could easily wolf down about 1 dozen. They were really small, about 3 inches only in length and the pastry was very flaky!!! Hehehe silly rhyme.

I also ordered Shrimp Siomai and Xiao Long Pao.

Hakaw

Steamed Barbecue Bun (siopao)

Deep Fried Taro puff - 1 piece only for me.

Custard Bun for dessert but only had 1 piece.

Masachi - It was filled with white chocolate and rolled in nuts. I think I had 2.

When the food arrived, we were so excited because all of us couldn't remember what we checked in the list... so it was a free for all thing and wasn't able to take pictures. The Honey Roast Pork was delicious. I also ordered congee with shredded dried fish. I also tried the soya fried noodles and 1 piece of chicken feet.

We started at noon and ended at 3:00 p.m. We enjoyed each other's company. Lots of stories and "chismis". I'm looking forward to our next luncheon which is on Oct 18 at Peking Garden in Greenbelt 5.

This is the awful part of my story .... after our luncheon, Tita Portia and I went to Cash and Carry because I was looking for my laundry soap, Cycles. I was able to buy one pack.

While waiting for my Tita .... I ate.... 1 Jollibee Yumburger with cheese... Corn dog from the hotdog stand. It was really so yum! Not like the corn dog I bought today, they just used the hotcake mix, it was yuck. Ohhh and I also had Spaghetti with meat sauce at Pancake house.

I felt "awful" after eating all those junk, sometimes, I don't understand why I do that to myself. I didn't even enjoy what I was eating except for the corndog.

I hope and pray for more control next time.

Mango Grape Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing

I was standing outside Italianni's yesterday when I saw their big ad with a picture of their salad. I haven't made salad with honey mustard dressing yet so I had it for dinner. I didn't add the grilled chicken anymore because I don't want to eat meat at night if I can help it.

Mango Grape Salad

50 grams Green Lollo leaves

70 grams red seedless grapes

half a mango, cubed

grilled chicken (optional for me)

Honey Mustard Dressing

1 t. French's mustard

1 egg yolk

1 t. honey

1 T. Extra Virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Thai Lunch with Friends

An impromptu Thai lunch with friends. Yesterday, Michelle asked if she can hang out in the house today before her 2 pm appointment. We have been playing invitation tag for several weeks already and finally our schedules matched.

I thought of serving Thai food, it seems healthy and very easy to make. I also invited some of the girls. Those who were able to attend were Pia, Catherine and Marianne. I told them it would have to be an early lunch because Michelle has to leave before 2 pm.

I experimented with Lemongrass/Pandan Tea because I know it will go well with the food. I researched the net, found a recipe I liked and just adjusted according to taste.

Lemongrass/Pandan Tea

8-10 stalks Lemongrass

4 cups water

Drop lemongrass stalks in boiling water and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat and let it steep for about 2 hours.

1 bunch pandan leaves (I don't know how many, just bought from the grocery)

8 cups water

Boil until water turns a bit green/yellow in color. Steep for two hours.

Strain the leaves. Add

1 cup sugar syrup (Boil 1 cup sugar in half cup water.)

2 T. Honey

1/4 C. calamansi juice

Chill and pour over ice.

I cooked Bagoong Fried Rice. Really easy to make! Well ... I think as long as there is someone who will prepare the ingredients?

Bagoong Fried Rice

700 grams Thai Jasmine Rice, steamed

1/4 C. cooking oil

1 head garlic, crushed

2 T. Thai Shrimp paste ( not our ordinary bagoong)

2 T. brown sugar

Brown garlic in oil, add the shrimp paste and brown sugar. Sprinkle water on the rice and toss until cooked. Garnish on top with the following:

2 egg-omelet, cut into strips

1 green mango, shredded ( I used the shredder from Bangkok given by Tita Jit)

100 grams dried Hibe, fried

hand chopped roasted peanuts or cashews

250 grams Mekeni pork tocino, fried and cut into small cubes

shallots, sliced

I also made Pomelo Salad

200 grams Sunsweet Green Lollo(if you buy in Rustan's) or a.k.a. Salad Supernova (if you buy in SM)

10-12 pieces shrimps, boiled and peeled

chopped roasted peanuts

pomelo segments

Dressing

3 T. lime juice

3 T. Thai fish sauce

3 T. brown sugar

3 shallots, sliced

1/4 t. Thai chili flakes

Thai Grilled Pork - I found this recipe online but I can't remember the web page.

1 K. liempo ( I asked the butcher of SM to slice the frozen liempo about 1/2 inch thick, or even thinner but not as thin as bacon slice) FYI, the thinner the meat, the more tender it is when grilled.

Marinade

2 T. brown sugar

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 t. rock salt

1 T. Thai fish sauce

Marinate for ONLY 1 hour before grilling.

We enjoyed our lunch! They all liked what I cooked and am very happy to be with old familiar faces. I hope we can do this more often.

Emperor - Mall of Asia

I had lunch at the Emperor in Mall of Asia today with Ate. She asked me what I wanted to order and I told her I like the Suckling Pig BBQ combination. I love pig better than duck. I always have to order suckling pig when I see it in the menu. I love eating it with Yang Chow fried rice but I am watching my rice intake so I ordered Birthday noodles instead. I never realized my Ate doesn't like "pancit". I told her next time we will order rice.... but white instead of fried, so less calories.

When our BBQ platter arrived, Ate said, "Hating Kapatid!" We even asked for our own dipping sauces... hahahahaha ... It brought back a funny memory ... when my Mom and I would eat and spilt the food, I would always say, "Ma, Hating kapatid!" hahahaha sorry my laughter preceeded my story.... Then Mom would reply, "Hindi tayo magkapatid, ha!!!"

Suckling Pig BBQ platter - I really loved the skin! It was so crisp! And the meat near the ribs was so tasty! The pig was really small because the ribs were as thin as toothpicks! If only my cholesterol level will not shoot up, I would like to order just the Suckling Pig and not with the Roasted Duck, Pork Asado, Soy Chicken and Jelly fish.

Oh! Even the restaurant recognizes the place of distinction of the pig! Center stage!

The Birthday noodles were just all right for me. Nothing to rave about but it wasn't bad also. I only like the noodles when I order "pancit" and not the meat except for my favorite noodle dish of all time at the President Grand Palace in Ongpin St., Sizzling Fried Noodles with Pork And Shrimps. I can easily eat one order all by myself.

Dipping sauces - hoisin for the pig, plum sauce for the duck and the ginger and scallion for the soy chicken.

At least we were happy with our BBQ combination platter.

YUMMMM ... this little piggy went to market ... this little piggy stayed home ... this little piggy ..... hahahahaha well this little piggy got a little bit fatter today.

Hey! Ma!

Today is my Mom's 4th death anniversary. Whenever I would get home from "wherever" I've been ... would always call out a greeting: Hey! Ma! Even when she was in the hospital (almost 3 months at the ICU), as soon as I enter her room .. would say, Hey! Ma! I do miss her so much. This is the hour... almost the exact time she passed away ... between 11 pm and midnight. It was a tough and difficult time for us.

Our Saturday lunch was just a simple affair.

Cebu Lechon from Salcedo Market

Nilagang Manok instead of Nilagang Baka ... My family only likes the broth, they don't eat the meat and the vegetables.... so I had to make it really "soupy".

I made fresh vegetable lumpia but didn't have time to make the wrapper since I came from Salcedo. The pack of wrapper from the chiller of Rustan's was a bit dry and not pliable ... so it didn't look too picture perfect. But my lumpia tasted good even if zero for presentation.

Tita Portia bought Canonigo from Salcedo. I liked it because it was not too sweet, I only ate the white part and did not put the cream custard sauce anymore.

Hahahaha isn't it a little bit morbid that we celebrate death anniversaries in the Philippines? Maybe to some yes .... but for us ... it means we are celebrating the life of the person... the person my Mom has been.... and the good times we had with her.

Hey! Ma!