Tuesday, October 23, 2007
KITCHEN (MIS) ADVENTURES (PART 2)
Most weekends, when I can't decide what to cook I usually settle for a popular Filipino comfort food. It's perfect for a rainy day, or even during days when you just want something hot, steaming and yet quite easy to prepare. It's actually a popular Filipino snack - the type of food that is usually served when visitors are coming or even on special holidays.
CHICKEN SOPAS
CHICKEN AND VEGGIES STIR-FRY
Here's another recipe which my kids and hubby liked and yet took only little preparation. I actually used the remaining shredded chicken from the sopas, sauteed it in butter and lots of garlic. Added a small pack of frozen veggie mix (the kind that can be bought in most supermarkets) with green peas, corn and carrots. Then you just add a half pack of cream of mushroom soup mix or any chinese soup mix that you dissolve in about one cup of water. And voila! a chicken and vegetable dish just like the ones you eat in some Chinese resto but without the cost and the hassle.
CHOCO CHIP COOKIES
This is another of my kids' favorites and one which I actually learned last year pa - since I remembered giving away choco chip cookies last year for Christmas. I almost always cook this on weekends since my kids would often request for something to munch on - while they're watching their favorite TV shows. My daughter even saves some for her baon on Mondays and to give to her teachers.
As I mentioned, cooking this food is quite easy and the variations are many - you may use the elbow type of pasta or the shell, or twirly kind. I use them all interchangeably, depending on whichever suits my fancy or whichever is available at the village minimart. In one of the photos posted here, I used the pasta which was given as pasalubong by an American relative of my house companion. [she's not considered a maid coz she's my brother's sister and she only cooks and accompanies my kids while we're in the office]. The pasta is actually the straight kind which looks a bit yellowish since it is actually part of a microwave dinner which we decided not to use.
Then, you may also use a variety of panahog - from the usual shredded and pre-boiled chicken, to chopped ham or hotdogs or even corned beef. In the photos below, I think I used shredded chicken and some bits of ham. After sauteing the chicken meat and ham in garlic and onions, add lots of water and drop the pasta shells. When the shells are cooked, usually around ten minutes after the water boils, you may add vegetables - usually shredded carrots and cabbage. Cook for a few minutes more, season with salt and pepper to taste and just before turning off the heat, you may add the milk. It can be evaporated, fresh or even skimmed milk as one friend told me but which I haven't really tried yet.
CHICKEN AND VEGGIES STIR-FRY
Here's another recipe which my kids and hubby liked and yet took only little preparation. I actually used the remaining shredded chicken from the sopas, sauteed it in butter and lots of garlic. Added a small pack of frozen veggie mix (the kind that can be bought in most supermarkets) with green peas, corn and carrots. Then you just add a half pack of cream of mushroom soup mix or any chinese soup mix that you dissolve in about one cup of water. And voila! a chicken and vegetable dish just like the ones you eat in some Chinese resto but without the cost and the hassle.
CHOCO CHIP COOKIES
This is another of my kids' favorites and one which I actually learned last year pa - since I remembered giving away choco chip cookies last year for Christmas. I almost always cook this on weekends since my kids would often request for something to munch on - while they're watching their favorite TV shows. My daughter even saves some for her baon on Mondays and to give to her teachers.
I have actually forgotten already where this recipe came from, I guess it came from one of the popular sites in the net - what's needed is to mix together dry ingredients - 2 c flour and/or oats, 1/2 tsp each of baking soda and powder plus a pinch of salt. Then, in a mixer beat butter, 1 c brown sugar, an egg and vanilla. Add in the dry ingredients and mix well. Add choco chips, nuts and/or raisins. Form dough into balls and place in cookie sheets 2 inches apart and bake for 15 minutes. Cool before serving or placing in airtight containers.
You must have noticed that I placed flour/oats in the recipe when the original actually called for just flour. This is still a carry-over of my 'Southbeach phase' when I tended to shun all flours, so now I realized I can't take it completely off my diet since I love baking and wheat flour costs so much so I just make do with half-and-half using oats in lieu of flour - truly a healthier alternative which my kids do not even notice.
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