Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Spaghetti with Meatballs

Tired of eating the same spaghetti with meat sauce????

Try making Spaghetti with Meatballs!

My two friends from New York, Brooklyn and Long Island, taught me how they cook their Spaghetti with meatballs!

They said, the secret is.... Bake the meatballs instead of frying them!

Spaghetti with Meatballs

Meatballs

250 g. Ground sirloin

250 g. Ground lean pork

1/4 C. Milk

2 t. Lea and Perrins ( because I can't spell and pronounce "Worchester" sauce)

1/2 t. Salt

1/4 t. Pepper

1/2 C. Panko breadcrumbs

1/4 C. Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 egg, beaten

1/4 C. Chopped white onions

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.

Form into balls and place on a greased baking pan or lined with grease proof paper or silicon mat.

Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes. Set aside.

Sauce

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 white onion, chopped

1/4 C. Olive oil

1 can Del Monte Traditional Pasta Sauce

1 C. Water

Salt, pepper and sugar, to taste.

Sauté garlic and onions in olive oil until the onion is soft and translucent.

Add the pasta sauce and water. When it boils, lower the heat and add the baked meatballs.

Simmer for 30 minutes and season according to taste.

Ladle over spaghetti noodles and top with grated Parmesan cheese.

 

 

 

Mona's "Official" Bienvenida!

Mona might not have gained weight in Canada but at the rate her Bienvenida activities are going on, she will!

We planned this activity as soon as we knew when she will be back.

She had many food requests.

Her all-time favorite, my Kare-Kare from scratch.

Crispy Pata from her donors, Corry, Jing and Mariger!

Baked Tahong from Mon.

Everybody's special request, Mayette's Adobong Alimango!

Mayette also cooked Pancit.

There was Bringhe from Bataan.

Mona brought cherries.

Desserts from the two Mamas.

Buco Pandan made by Tita Cena.

Sans Rival baked by Tita Letty!

Everybody was so happy as usual! What's not to be happy about?!?! Our bellies were dancing in joy!

The whole group was in full attendance!

The Boys....

The Girls....

Thank you, Mayette for hosting Mona's "official" Bienvenida!

 

Monday, July 28, 2014

Pata Tim

I had a dream the other night....

It was about Pata Tim...

I could vividly picture it in my mind.... Jiggly skin of the Pata.... Sweet salty sauce... Steamed broccoli and carrots.

My family liked the Pata Tim I cooked last Saturday for lunch.

Kuya asked me to cook for him again today.

Pata Tim

1.2-1.5 K . Pork Pata

1/3 C. Coconut Brand soy sauce

3 T. Marcia Piña cooking wine

1/3 C. Brown sugar

2 stalks leeks, white part only

6 thick slices of ginger

3 C. Water

2 T. Cornstarch + 2 T. Water.

Steamed broccoli and carrots.

Combine all the ingredients except the cornstarch in a pressure cooker and cook for 1 hour.

Remove the leeks and ginger and continue cooking until the sauce has reduced to about a cup.

Remove the Pata, transfer into a serving platter. Arrange the broccoli and carrot around the Pata.

Add the cornstarch slurry to the sauce. When it thickens slightly, pour over the Pata.

 

 

Friday, July 25, 2014

Roast Pork Banh Mi

My experiment today was Roast Pork Banh Mi and poor Mona was my Guinea pig!

Don't worry, she survived and still alive and breathing.

I am channeling my inner Miss Saigon! I am preparing for a Vietnamese theme party.

It is very easy to assemble Banh Mi, a Vietnamese sandwich.

All you need:

Slab of roast pork belly

Baguette (split open) slathered with homemade mayonnaise then toasted in the oven.

Pickled carrot and singkamas. In the recipes, they use radish.

Lay several thin slices of cucumber on one half of the baguette.

Top with sliced pork belly.

Splash with Maggi or Knorr Seasoning.

Put the pickled vegetables and cilantro on top of the meat.

Then put the other half of the baguette on top of your ensemble.

Voila! Roast Pork Bahn Mi!

 

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Junkies' Korean Bienvenida for Mona!

It was Korean Night with the Junkies at The Batcave in honor of Mona!

We were so happy Mona is back and she attended KST today for the first time this year.

When we were talking to Mona while she was still in Canada, we told her that we would only eat "leaves" and vegetables for her homecoming dinner!

Hahahahahaha She thought we were joking but we were not!

Korean Lettuce is now available in SM Supermarket.

Perilla or Sesame leaves - Cat bought it at a Korean grocery.

Kimchi - pickled cabbage

We cooked Samgyeopsal - grilled Pork Belly

Cat marinated the Beef Bulgogi

And take a look at our "Chef"!

Tricia was in charge of our Korean Condiments.

We loved our Korean BBQ dinner!

Shey brought her most favorite Chocolate Cake from Dimpy's.

She loves it so much that she did not share her cake with the rest of her household the last time she ordered it!

I had 3 servings drizzled with Salted (?) Caramel Sauce!

Mona brought a dessert wine for us and her pasalubong!

I bought Mona her favorite Cheese Curls as my surprise for her the other day.

But then.... I got hungry a few nights ago and ate half of the cheese curls!

Hahahaha hahahaha

Welcome home, Mona! (Again) I sure missed you a lot!

So did the Junkies!