Grilled Bacon Asparagus

My friend, Lisa, said canned asparagus is yuck! I told her I have fresh asparagus but it tastes so bland when I steam or boil it.  She said it is true, that is why she likes to grill or roast it.  She was right!  I experimented today with Grilled Bacon Asparagus and the taste of the spears really came out!  So sweet and crisp tender!

Grilled Bacon Asparagus



6 spears asparagus, trimmed
3 strips of bacon
salt and pepper

Soak the asparagus spears in cold water for 5 minutes so it will not dry out during grilling.  Wrap the bacon on 2 asparagus spears. Season with freshly cracked black pepper and rock salt.  Heat the stove top grill, when hot, lower heat and put the bacon wrapped asparagus on the grill.  Turn every 15 seconds, transfer onto a plate when bacon is cooked.



You can serve them as appetizers or put them in the chicken sandwich.

Bacon Asparagus Chicken Sandwich

Tom Yum Soup

I attended a Thai cooking demo last month and the guest chefs were Jay Gamboa and Wati of Azuthai.  One of the recipes they shared was Tom Yum.  When I went to Farmers Market last week, I was able to buy galanggal and dayap.  It is a good thing you can now get hard to find ingredients from the stall of Beth (440-1890 or 0917-854-7855).

Tom Yum Soup (Azuthai)



2 C. shrimp broth (boil the head and skin of the shrimps in 2 cups water)
1 pc kaffir lime leaf, torn
3 slices galanggal, 1/3 inch thick
1 stalk lemon grass, bruised
button mushrooms, quartered
oyster mushrooms



Bring the shrimp stock to a boil and add all the above, simmer for five minutes then add the following:

1 T. Thai Fish Sauce ( Can not be patis)



1 T. dayap juice
2 t. Thai chili paste



3 pcs. prawns
coriander leaves

When prawns are cooked, about 1 minute, place in bowl.  Top with coriander leaves.



I doubled this recipe because I had 7 pieces of big white shrimps in the freezer.  I ate a whole pot of soup but no rice.  It was delicious, imagine, I did not use any knorr cube to make this soup very tasty.  All fresh ingredients.



The professional chefs frown upon instant soup mixes or bouillon.

The Tom Yum will go well with Pomelo Salad and Thai grilled pork!  Yummmmm!!!! 

Chili con Carne

I experimented again today and tried to cook Mang Rectos spaghetti.  I got the idea from Marianne that maybe I can use the chili recipe for the spaghetti sauce but it did not taste like how I expected it to be.  Maybe it was because I did not have chili powder.

So I just decided to turn it into Chili, topped with Tillamook Cheese, white onion, sour cream, cilantro and nachos.



Chili con Carne

garlic, chopped
white onion, chopped
red pepper, chopped
2 T. cooking oil
250 gr. lean ground beef
300 gr. Del Monte tomato sauce
3/4 t. salt
3/4 t. msg
1/4 t. pepper
1 C. water
1 t. sugar
2 T. Lea and Perrins
1 t. paprika
2 T. Taco seasoning (I should have used chili powder)

Saute garlic, onions and red pepper in cooking oil.  Add the ground beef, when light brown in color add the tomato sauce, water and all the seasonings.  Simmer for 45 minutes.

That was my Mang Recto experiment. I bought a few items in Rustans Rockwell and turned the spaghetti sauce into Chili con Carne.  Jing said she uses Old El Paso chili seasoning.



1 can Molinera Red Kidney beans, washed and drained
1 can Molinera crushed tomatoes
1 pack Old El Paso chili seasoning
6 pcs. Hershey Kisses

Add the beans, crushed tomatoes and chili seasoning.  Simmer for 30 minutes.  Add the chocolates, serve with chopped  white onions, shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, cilantro and nacho or tortilla chips.

The chocolate made a HUGE difference!  It was a bit spicy for me before adding it but afterwards ... OHHH  MYYYY  I can finish the whole pot!  But I am saving it for tomorrow.  It is better to let it sit overnight in the fridge before eating it.  I can not wait!!!!

Prawns in Salted Yolk Sauce

I was just talking to my friend, Tricia, yesterday who  just came from Singapore and she said, she had the most delicious crab dish ever!   Crabs with Salted Egg Yolk sauce!  I was intrigued and researched the net immediately how to cook it.

I found several recipes but then I do not like crabs that much because it is so hard to eat.  I only like to eat the crab when it is female and full of fat.  There were several recipes which used prawns instead of the crustacean.

I could not wait anymore to wake up last night... went to bed early just so I can go to the market as soon as I get up from bed.  They only had big white shrimps, no prawns, in Bel - Air market... so I just bought half a kilo.

I called up Rustans Rockwell the previous night to ask if they have curry leaves, the custormer service staff said they were out of stock.  Good thing I remembered I have a friend who likes to cook with different spices and herbs and leaves.  Serla was a life saver!  She said she has dried curry leaves and will drop it off at my house.  I told her I will just pick it up from her Rockwell condo lobby.  Hahahahaha That is the equivalent of borrowing a cup of sugar from your neighbor.  Thank you, Serla!!!

I am almost ready to experiment... I have the salted eggs, shrimps and curry leaves... but I forgot to buy milk!!!!  Then.... I was thinking ... it so hard to find curry leaves and I will experiment with white shrimps!?!!!?  It did not seem right.

Sooooo .... I went to Farmers Market in Cubao to buy 8 pieces of prawns!  Hahahahaha  I had to smuggle the prawns inside my bag (in a plastic container) because dripping fresh seafood and the likes are not allowed inside the MRT train.

Prawns in Salted Egg Yolk Sauce



1/2 - 1 K. prawns
1 egg, beaten
1/2 C. cornstarch
1 C. cooking oil

1/2 C. butter
6 salted egg yolks, steamed for 4 minutes then mashed (This insures the sauce is smooth and not grainy.)
1-2 pcs. birds eye chili (labuyo), sliced diagonally
handful of fresh curry leaves or dried
1 t. Knorr Chicken Powder or 1/2 Knorr Chicken cube
1 t. sugar
1 C. Carnation Evap

Clean and devein the prawns by cutting along the back without removing the shell.  Dip in egg then in cornstarch.  Fry in hot oil until the color changes, about 1 minute or so.  Do not overcook.  Set aside. Remove the oil.

In the same frying pan or wok, melt the butter then add the steamed yolks.  Use the back of the ladle to stir, when it bubbles, add the chili and curry leaves.  Season with the chicken cube and sugar.  Add the evaporated milk, stir continuously.  Add the fried prawns.  Serve while hot with steamed white rice.  The whole cooking process should only take about five minutes.

I was so excited to try my experiment!  Sure I had the prawns in salted egg at Mesa in Greenbelt, but that was more with a Filipino twist.    This recipe is different.  It was delicious!!!!  I had to use my hands while eating!  No part of the prawn was left unlicked and unsucked!  LOL   I practically licked the plate clean!!!

If before, eating Lechon would put a sparkle in my voice ... well,  this dish gave me a ZAP of electricity!!!   I do not know if the sauce tastes the same as the one Tricia tried in Singapore  but .... TRICIA!!!!  Thank you for exciting my taste buds again!

P.S.  For hard to find ingredients such as galangal, thai chili, mushrooms, curry leaves... you can get it from Beth at Farmers Market.  Tel. no. - 4401890 or  09178547855

P.P.S. I cooked again tonight the Prawns recipe for PD, Kuya and Mona.

Rainy Sunday Cooking Experiments

I just posted yesterday on my FB wall that I have three food cravings in no particular order: Spaghetti of Mang Recto, Chicken Asparagus Sandwich and Kare Kare.  I am two out of three today.

I called my neighbor, Tita Amor Jalandoni, this morning to ask her how to make Chicken Asparagus sandwich.  One time we had a meeting and she brought the delicious sandwiches!  Her secret is the canned green asparagus.  It was out of stock in Landmark Supermarket, Makati, I called the Trinoma branch and they still have.  I was about to go all the way to Quezon City just to get one can of asparagus!  Good thing I called up SM Makati and they had ONE can left.  The canned white asparagus is too fibrous for me.

I was so happy when I held the can in my hands!!!



A friend suggested that fresh tastes better than canned, so I also bought a bunch of fresh asparagus for comparison.

Chicken Asparagus Sandwich shared by Amor Jalandoni

1 chicken breast, boiled and flaked
1 egg, boiled and mashed
chopped pickles
chopped onions
1/2 C. mayonaise
salt and pepper to taste
canned green asparagus

With canned asparagus





With fresh asparagus





The sandwich with the fresh asparagus looks more colorful but the one with the canned asparagus tastes better.  So it is hard to decide which one I will eat again.  But if you are on a budget, go with the fresh.

I also made vegetable soup.  Mona said I should add milk but what I did not know was I should have added it at the last minute of cooking! The milk curdled in my soup!



I just used all the vegetables I found here at home: carrots, celery, red pepper, canned corn, cabbage and green beans.

Mang Recto is a guy who used to cook very good spaghetti in Palm Village.   My classmates and I would always buy from him after school and sometimes during lunch break.  What was mind boggling to me was that the taste was very simple, the color quite anemic and yet .... I can not imagine how he cooked it!!!  I know there was red pepper and Old English Sauce.  I will try and try until I succeed.

I experimented today, used my Sweet Spaghetti sauce recipe. http://liasfoodjourney.blogspot.com/2010/03/ben-10-party-of-renzo.html



It did not turn out the way I expected!  I just substituted red pepper with green pepper.  I will do better next time.  Nothing wrong with the spaghetti I cooked today, it just was not the taste I was looking for.

Next item on my cravings list: Kare Kare ... soon... this week ... I already bought the tripe .... it means it is really very, very soon ... I just need to buy the ox feet and the ox tail.  I do not use mixes nor peanut butter.  I use raw peanuts, roast it in the oven and grind them to paste.  I  can not wait to cook Kare Kare!!!!

And yet.... I lost a few inches

I have been sick these past few days with a bad case of the stomach flu so I tried not to eat oily food.  I healed myself by drinking peppermint tea and eating boiled sweet camote and bananas.  NO medicines!!!  And the most wonderful thing about it ... I lost a couple of inches around my waist!

PD (Tita Portia) would always invite me to dine out.  I told her I was sick so we better eat in places where the food is not too greasy.

We went to Sumo Sam in Rockwell, we had the ....

Grilled Salmon Belly




and a BIG bowl of Sukiyaki.



During Typhoon Pedring we had a power outage... best place to cool off was in Powerplant Mall, Rockwell.  My stomach was feeling a little bit braver so I told PD I wanted to eat Pizza.

Tried the Pizza at Burgoo ...  uh ohhhh  my stomach was not that well so I just had a couple of slices of pizza ...



... and Butterly Prawns.



Yesterday our lunch was at IMC Kavino along Jupiter St.

They gave complimentary salad...



We ordered Hot and sour soup



Deep Fried taro Puff with Japanese Salad filling



Mini Chicken Buns



Siomai - I loved it!  I do not need to go to Binondo anymore to enjoy my favorite dim sum.



Seafood Pancit Canton



We were not that contended with our lunch, we moved to the next door resto, Meylin, and ate vegetable lumpia.



Tonight, PD invited me again for dinner but I said I ate already before going home.  I told her there was this new restaurant along Kalayaan Avenue called Savoy Bistro.  They just opened last September 16.


I just ordered French Onion Soup with Raclette.



PD had the lobster soup.



They also gave complimentary appetizers...



and freshly baked bread.  So soft and delicious.



The main course of PD was Lamb Shank braised in wine with rissotto and vegetables.  I tried a bit and it was very tender.



For our dessert, we just shared an order of Swedish Pancakes.  YUMMMMM!!!  



Crepe like pancakes with cream, fresh strawberries slices drizzled with honey.

The bistro has a special private dining room.  The Chef, Robert Lilja (Swedish) said it can accommodate up to 16... or 8 or 4 or even two.



I just went to the ladies room and when I came out ... I heard him telling Tita Portia he would find a date for her!  It was a .... WHAT THE .......   !?!?!!!  moment.  Hahahahahaha   I asked PD what was that all about.

When the Chef said he can arrange a dinner for two, PD said ... she needed to find a date first.  Then the charming Chef said .... I will find a date for you.   HMPHHHHH!!!!!   Hahahahahaha  Way to go PD!!!!

Despite all the food I have been eating lately, my shorts are now looser by about 2 inches ... it even fell to the floor when I was in the fitting room of Metro Gaisano Department store.  When I was in Boracay for my birthday last month, my shorts were really tight, I thought I was going to get gangrene from lack of circulation!  Maybe it also helped I stopped eating rice.  Let us see if I can lose more inches!!!  Wish me luck!

What is up, Lia?

To answer the question, I have been trying to eat healthy food most of the time, i.e. BORING food:   Vegetables and fish or chicken.  Sometimes, I would wake up in the morning and text all my friends:   My blood sugar is low today!  Then other days they would ask me, why no update?  Ahhhh .... because the sugar was high when I woke up.

And.... I also had several cravings.  Do you know what happens when I do have a craving?  I would eat it over and over and over until I do not like it anymore.  I had a Chicken Inasal craving for two weeks,  I ate at Mang Inasal, Chicken Bacolod Inasal, I even made my own but I roasted it instead of grilling so it did not turn out so well, Chic Boy, and from JT Manukan, which was my favorite.  I have yet to try Aida in Makati Cinema Square, it is a branch of a famous Inasal place from Manukan country in Bacolod.  I almost flew to Bacolod just to try their chicken Inasal.  I bought from Magnolia station but it is still in my freezer.

My next craving was Shakeys!!!!  In a span of less than a week, I have eaten at Shakeys four times!  I loved their bunch of lunch and Fridays Special pizza!  The best branch for me is Glorietta.  Lots of cheese and freshly made thin crust pizza!

Lately, I have been having a Banana Split craving.  I was reminiscing the other day... I miss the Magnolia House on Aurora Blvd.  It was bought by Robinsons Land and a new complex is being built right now.  Lots of memories with the family over there.  Also the Quad branch with their serpentine bar.

I can  not find a good ice cream parlor nowadays.  Tita Portia took pity on me and we had had Banana split at Pancake house tonight.



It was ok, of course not like the banana split of *yesteryears* but it was ok to satisfy a craving.

I made my own pitiful version of banana split yesterday.



I had all the ingredients except for the whipped cream!  I bought the all purpose cream but it did not become creamy when I whipped it but I had all the required ingredients: Chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream, banana, crushed pineapple, cherries, chocolate syrup, flaked almonds and watery whipped cream!

I will try again tomorrow, will ask  Tita Portia for some Redi whip.  Then I will not eat banana split anymore.  It is very bad for me.  I just need to feed the craving.

PD (Tita Portia) and I had dinner at Kaya, Jupiter.  It was just all right, we ordered what we do not usually eat from Kaya Express in Rockwell.

Uni Sashimi



Grilled Beef Short Ribs dipped in honey sauce.  I do not know how can they make the meat so tender.



Grilled Mackarel



Leek pancake



Their version of Hotpot noodle soup - not my favorite.



Freebies





I was able to buy several new VERTIGO in a bag today!  Hahahahaha  This is how my friend, Jing, calls  all the junk food, which I am a big fan of.

Leslies Cheddar and Sour Cream (Landmark)



Rustans Rockwell just brought out from the box tonight the following:

TGIF Potato Skins Cheddar and Bacon



TGIF Crunchy Cheddar Bites Jalapeno Cheddar



Burger King Zesty Ranch Onion Rings



Burger King Cheesy Fries



I have not tried them all yet.  Will keep you posted!!!!

Ummm... hello?  I am supposed to be on a healthy diet?  What am I going to do now?  Noooo, I am not giving my chips away...  any other suggestion?  Hahahaha...  Soon ... I really need to do something about it.  Let us just pray I do not get another craving du jour!