Enjoying Familiar Flavors With Chicken Tapa

If you are a fan of beef tapa and are quite fond of having some for breakfast, you may want to try this chicken breakfast tapa for a change. It may not be as famous as its beef counterpart, but it can definitely serve as an interesting and healthier alternative. Like the usual chicken meat that you find in the market, chicken tapa is brimming with nutrients that can surely make you and your family healthy.

Why Try Some Chicken Tapa

It has some health benefits for you and your family, and mostly because of its main ingredient – chicken. Chicken is a great source of protein, which helps in muscle development and growth. It is true that tapa is cured meat which means that you run the risk of consuming more sodium than the daily limits, but if taken in moderation, it can help support body weight goals because the meat is typically lean. This cured meat is also healthy for the bones as it contains phosphorus. Continue reading “Enjoying Familiar Flavors With Chicken Tapa”

Pineapple-Lemon Punch (Pineapple-Calamansi Punch)

If you are looking for a tasty, refreshing drink for a special occasion or a casual family get-together, the Filipino Pineapple-Calamansi or Pineapple-Lemon Punch is a great choice. It is very easy to prepare at home and is great to serve at anytime. Here is an easy recipe to prepare this cool, revitalizing fruity mocktail.

Makes/Servings: 5-6
Ingredients:
Pineapple Juice: 2 ½ cups
Lemon Juice: ½ cup
Ice: 1 cup, crushed or cubes (as per your choice)
Sugar: 6 tablespoons
Light Rum: 1 tablespoon to ½ cup (as per personal choice)
Orange: 2, sliced
Maraschino Cherries: 3-4, to garnish Continue reading “Pineapple-Lemon Punch (Pineapple-Calamansi Punch)”

Rachel Ray Cookware – Making Savory Rolled Rib Roast With Rachael Ray Cookware

Making good food has never been fun with the help of Rachel Ray cookware. In my previous article, I have shared to you the secrets in preparing the very tasty Filipino Embutido. Now, I will be sharing with you another delectable dish that your family will surely love.

Using Rachel Ray cookware, I will teach you the ingredients of the Savory Rolled Rib Roast and how to prepare one. So have your Rachel Ray cookware sets prepared before you begin following the procedure presented below.

Provided below are the important ingredients needed to make the Savory Rolled Rib Roast: Continue reading “Rachel Ray Cookware – Making Savory Rolled Rib Roast With Rachael Ray Cookware”

Beef Stew Or Karne Asada – How To Make It

Karne Asada is the regional name for beef stew in the Philippines. Although, it is just the simple beef stew served on your dinner table but ingredients such as Patis, lemon juice, Maggi and Soy Sauce, and the method of preparation add a distinct Filipino taste to it. So, if beef is on the list of your favorites and you wish to taste the flavor of the rich Filipino cuisine, ‘Karne Asada’ or beef stew is a must-try recipe at home.

Here is a simple recipe for preparing 4-6 servings of this delicious stew for supper:

Makes/Servings: 4-6

Estimated Cooking Time Required: 1 hr 30 minutes

Ingredients:
Beef sirloin: 2 pounds (2 lbs) – cut into cubes of 3 inches each
Lemon Juice: 2 tablespoons
Soy Sauce: 2 tablespoons
Cornstarch: 1 ½ tablespoons
Maggi or Soy Sauce: ¼ teaspoon
Potatoes: 2 large sized, sliced in thin rounds
Onions: 2 large sized, sliced in small rings
Oil/Fat: 3 tablespoons
Salt/Patis and finely ground Pepper to taste Continue reading “Beef Stew Or Karne Asada – How To Make It”

All About Sinigang Mix and Seasonings for Easier Cooking

Your in-laws are coming for dinner and you are searching for easy recipes to impress them. Why not try sinigang? It is easy to get the perfect taste of this dish with the help of a sinigang mix available in stores.

If you are not familiar with this tamarind-based soup, here are some things you should know about sinigang.

Sinigang is one of the favorite viands of the Filipinos. For generations, it has been a staple in Filipino kitchens. The dish contains pork meat or fish with different vegetables such as string beans, okra, taro combs or gabi, eggplants, and water spinach or kangkong. Other ingredients may include tomatoes and onions. What makes it distinct from the typical soup is its sourness, as the traditional sinigang uses tamarind. In other parts of the Philippines, different sinigang versions use guava, calamansi, or even unripe mangoes.

While it is hard to achieve the distinct sour taste of the soup, cooking the dish is now made easier because sinigang mix is now available. For one, this saves you from looking for fresh tamarind in the market and mixing the ingredients to attain the perfect sinigang taste. Continue reading “All About Sinigang Mix and Seasonings for Easier Cooking”

Tips on Processed Meat Products Or Processed Foods

By definition, processed foods are those that are altered from its natural state by applying a certain step to be able to produce a variant out of that natural food. With meat for example, the pork undergoes certain processes such as slicing, marinating, smoking and freezing for it to be able to be made into a sausage or Spanish chorizo or as Filipino’s calls it Longganisa (skinless longganisa, tocino, etc.). One of the reasons for food processing is also to lengthen its shelf life by adding certain spices and ingredients. This is where the effects of food processing come in. Sometimes, too much content of spices and chemicals causes a negative reaction in one’s body. Some studies even show that processed food may cause certain diseases especially with too much consumption.

However, not all processed meat products are the same. That is why it is important for all consumers to examine well the product through its packaging. Most producers of processed meat products now adhere to certain quality standards that are being managed by government agencies and private institutions. Producers of processed meat are given licenses only if they follow these set standards by the respective agencies. Some examples of these standards are Good Manufacturing Practice or GMP, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points or HACCP, and ISO 2001 that pertains to Quality Management Systems, among others. These standards focus both on the ingredients, the processing methods and facilities used to be able to produce a certain product. Processed meat establishments are regularly monitored usually every six months if they follow the prescribed standards for food processing. If the producers do not comply, their licenses and permits will not be granted or renewed. Continue reading “Tips on Processed Meat Products Or Processed Foods”

Cashew Nut Milk Candy – Pastillas De Casoy

Cashew Nut Milk Candy is a very popular sweet candy recipe from the Philippines, This Filipino desert is very delicious and extremely easy to make. Although it is like any other candy recipe, the method of preparation gives it a distinct Filipino character. Following is a simple recipe to prepare it at your home:

Makes/Servings: 1 serving or 2 small cups

Ingredients:

Condensed Milk: 1 Can (8 Ounce = approx. 220 Gms)
Cashew Nuts = 1 cup
Sugar = 1 tablespoon
Lemon Extract = 1 tablespoon

Preparation: Continue reading “Cashew Nut Milk Candy – Pastillas De Casoy”

Nutritious Nilagang Baboy (Boiled Pork)

Boiled pork or “Nilagang Baboy” is another Filipino recipe that is easy to make that you just throw everything in the pot and let it cook until tender. Nilaga in Filipino means boiled and baboy means pork. It can be with pork or beef of any kind you like and just add the vegetables of your choice. It is like a soupy kind of dish.

Nilagang baboy was the first Filipino food that greeted us on the table when my family visited the Philippines. I’m not a big fan of vegetables but I guess that it was the first time in my life that I have eaten that much vegetables.

Ingredients: Continue reading “Nutritious Nilagang Baboy (Boiled Pork)”

Beef Caldereta and Beef Pochero – Comparing Filipino Cuisine to North American Cuisine

Beef Caldereta is meat spiced with tomato sauce, chili paste, liver spread and cheese. It is traditionally made with goat meat, but beef can be substituted The recipe has many variations, depending on the province where served. It is an excellent beer match. Beef Caldereta is usually served in fiestas and various social gatherings.

Beef Caldereta Ingredients:

* 1/2 kilo beef, cut into cubes

* 2 potatoes cut in bite size

* 1 medium carrots cut into bite size

* 1/2 cup soy sauce Continue reading “Beef Caldereta and Beef Pochero – Comparing Filipino Cuisine to North American Cuisine”

Why People Love Barbecue

When it comes to grilled food, the first thing that comes to our mind is the deliciously pronounced word, Barbecue. This word came from barbacoa, which is from an early Indian language called Taino. It is their method of making fire and dry meat in them. Later, in the Spanish regime, they borrowed the word and in the process, later on, it applied on cooking or grilling meat in fire rather than drying them. Since then, many countries and industries adopted the newly discovered style of cooking meat and made numerous barbecue recipes using different kinds of meat and in unique styles.

When you talk about barbecue, it is always the favorite when it comes to gatherings and celebrations, which is except for the desserts. It is also quite famous in outings and picnics with friends and families. Some people use sauce for a more definite taste and some season the meat while cooking. One of the commonly known styles of barbecue making is marinating. It is when you soak the meat into a mixture or seasonings so that the meat will absorb the flavor. It is set aside for like a couple of hours so that meat will be tendered by the different spices added. Continue reading “Why People Love Barbecue”