On the other hand, a complete Hotcake Mix is a ready mix for a time, money and energy saving to a perfect flipping hotcake for a satisfying breakfast or for a wholesome snack.

ZESTY HOTCAKE

1 pack of Maya Hotcake mix
1 egg
3/4 cup water (less 1 tbsp. water)
2 tbsp. oil

1 tbsp. fresh orange juice

Beat egg in a bowl. Add oil, water and hotcake mix. Add in fresh orange juice. Stir until slightly lumpy. Do not overmix.

Heat pan or flat skillet over low fire. Grease pan with a bit of oil or butter.

Pour batter according to desired size. Cook until bubbly and turn to cook the other side.

Serve hot with butter, pancake/hotcake syrup or honey or jam.

I took a break for a while from baking. It is quite hard for me with my big belly to go around the kitchen, reach for baking utensils in our cabinets, bend on my knees if I dropped something and whew, I find it very warm for my tummy each time I bake. I was grateful Royce was at home last weekend and helped me bake some goodies again. I guess he misses my baking.

I had a couple of apples waiting in our fridge so I gave APPLE CINNAMON MUFFIN a shot. I am not really a big fan of apples but with the APPLE CINNAMON MUFFIN recipe that I experimented with, I am now an apple aficionada. I just ran out of nuts so if you will try this recipe, don’t forget to shower the batter with chopped almonds or walnuts for the ccrruunnccchhh! And instead of chopping the apples, I grated them creating a wonderful moist bread.

APPLE and CINNAMON truly are perfect pair. Not only fills our house with the fresh and fruity scent of APPLE and CINNAMON, but fills the big tummy of my two boys.

APPLE CINNAMON MUFFIN

2 cups grated apples
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
chopped nuts or raisins

Sift flour, cinnamon, baking powder, allspice and salt together. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy on medium speed of electric mixer.

Add eggs and mix on medium speed until smooth.

Add buttermilk and vanilla.

Add flour mixture. Mix until well blended.

Fold in the grated apples.

Scoop into muffin pans.

Top with chopped nuts or raisins.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 325 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

A couple of extra carrots, from my Fresh Vegetable Dip, were in the fridge. I pity them for not being consumed yet. Subsequently, I thought of taking them out, peeling them, grating them and baking them for Pineapple Carrot Muffins.  This is an improved version of the first Carrot Bread I posted.

I usually do the baking around 5am and spend about an hour in the kitchen. I leave most of my baked goodies at home for my Royce and Colby but I make sure I bring some for my officemates. They will surely tease me after reading my blog that I baked again and didn’t bring some.

PINEAPPLE CARROT MUFFINS

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 2/3 packed light brown sugar
3 pcs. eggs
2 cups carrots, peeled and grated
1/2 cup peanuts, toasted and chopped
1 cup crushed pineapple

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease muffin pans with butter or margarine and lightly floured. Covering all sides of the pan.

Mix flour, cinnamon, baking soda, bakign powder and salt in a bowl. Seat aside.

In a separate bowl, beat sugar and eggs. Stir in carrots and crushed pineapple.

Gradually stir in flour mixture just until blended.

Add peanuts.

Pour batter into muffin pans.

Bake Pineapple Carrot Muffins for 20-25 minutes.

Feeding our kids with something healthier like vegetables and fruits is usually a fight scenario at homes and is such a hopeless mom’s mission to accomplish. Moms, like I, do some crazy ideas just to nosh my 3 year old son, Colby, with peas, broccoli or anything green like a spoon pretends to be an airplane to land on his tongue or hide bits of carrots under rice. Although lately, Colby seems to liken vegetables bit by bit each day – really takes a lot of patience until our kids adjust with the taste of vegetables.

I know how difficult it is for moms, specially to those who are working 9 hours a day, to prepare such a good meal for the family after getting stressed and tired from work. Then, frustration arrives when our kids would just take a bite or two. Good thing I learned that some cheatings are to be done like serving macaroni and cheese with grated carrots or add minced lettuce to sandwiches or boiling potatoes poured with sweet creamy sauce.

Moms can also bake quick breads with vegetables and fruits like bananas, carrots, lemon, oranges, cheese, corn, potatoes and many more. A quick bread with vegetable I baked lately is the Squash Bread that I brought for Schareen’s 10th birthday. I believe banana, potato and carrot breads are widespread recipe. And I presume that only few heard of Squash Bread. Yeah, Squash bread for me is one of the best quick bread recipes I discovered. The texture is softer than other quick breads, truly a kid-friendlier taste and absolutely a healthy snack. In our country, squash is commonly used for Pinakbet and Okoy that most kids do not enjoy. Squash is very rich in vitamins C and B1, fiber and potassium and which are helpful for preventing cancer, heart disease and diabetes. I teamed the Squash Bread with pineapples and peanut butter to add sweetness and tang to the bread.

2 pcs. egg
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup crushed pineapple with syrup
1 cup squash, shredded
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, vanilla, oil, pineapple syrup, squash and peanut butter.
Mix until smooth.
In a medium bowl, combine cinnamon, flour, baking powder and baking soda.
Gradually, add the dry mixture to the squash mixture. Stir to combine.
Add peanuts if using.
Pour batter into a pan.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

What I love with this Banana Lemon Bread recipe is the zing flavor of the lemon that highlighted the sweet and  rich tang of ripe bananas. I also added coffee creamer hoping to make it bread moist. And well, it was a pleasant surprise that it turned out perfect with those little easy things yet summed up an intricate taste.

If those overripe bananas on your counter are fated to be in the garbage, have a second thought being frugal for this time. Just remember not to overmix the batter after pouring in the bananas for if not, breads will be dry and tough. Your wooden spoon or spatula and mixing bowl will do – no need for an electrical mixer this time. And do not over mash the bananas like what moms prepare for babies. Leave some small chunks by mashing the bananas with a fork.

Baking Banana Breads is easy,  fun and exciting.  This bread is best for breakfast or as snack at school or as a dessert.

2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups flour
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon rind
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. coffee creamer

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Beat eggs, lemon juice, and vegetable oil in a mixing bowl. Mix in flour, baking powder, salt, coffee-creamer and sugar. Then add the mashed banana and lemon rind. Again, do not over mix. Pour the batter in a pan. Bake for 20-30 minutes.

I poured some of the batter in my silicon muffin pans and brought as an early morning treat to my officemates. They said the bread was so good they wished that I could have brought more.

1 can pure foods liver spread
1 pouch mayonnaise

Combine. Spread 2 of the bread slices evenly. Heat on an oventoaster for 3 minutes. Leaving in for another minute will make the bread crispier.

Serve while hot.

This recipe has been passed to me by Tita Beulah, which is passed to her by Ate Au, which is passed to her by Ate Clem, which is passed to her by a friend, which she got from training. Well, doesn’t matter who owns this recipe I guess. What matter is that this awesome dessert you gotta try.

Now get your mixing bowl, spatula and these ingredients for Choco Oatmeal Bar:

2 1/2 cups oatmeal
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
2 tbsp. baking powder
1 cup melted butter
pinch of salt

for chocolate toppings:
1/2 can condensed milk
1/2 tbsp vanilla
2 tbsp cocoa

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.

1. For chocolate toppings, combine milk, vanilla and cocoa in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Combine oatmeal, flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl in a separate bowl. Set aside.
3. Again, in a separate bowl, beat eggs well. Add sugar and butter.
4. Combine flour mixture to egg mixture. The batter will be stiff. This will be a good hand exercise.
5. Place the mixture in a well greased pan. Separate a handful for toppings.
6. Cover hands with plastic. Flatten evenly the mixture in the pan.
7. Pour the chocolate toppings equally on the flattened oatmeal mixture.
8. Place randomly bits of the left oatmeal mixture on top.
9. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
10. Let it cool, remove from pan and slice to bars.

I was thrilled to have been visited by members from our Church who shared an inspiring message to my family. I thought it was a special day not only because they visited us for the first time since we moved to Bonuan but that day was also Father’s Day. And to mark that special occasion,  I cooked my all time favorite Spaghetti and baked a pan of Brownies. Again, spaghetti and brownies didn’t had a luck to be placed inside the fridge coz leftovers were brought for the Bishopric’s snack after their meeting.

Anyway, let us bring our childhood memories as we indulge with this chewy, chocolatey and nutty brownies.

Brownies  Delight

5 cups cake flour
1 cup butter
3 pcs eggs
3 cups white sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup cocoa

1. Sift flour and baking powder. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter until light and fluffy.
3. Add sugar and egg alternately and continue creaming until the mixture is smooth.
4. Stir in the flour mixture alternately with milk. Blend well.
5. Add vanilla and half part of the chopped nuts.
6. Pour the mixture into a well greased pan.
7. Sprinkle the remaining nuts on top.
8. Bake at pre-heated oven at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until done.
9. Let it cool before slicing.

Along with the oatmeal cookie that I prepared last Saturday, I also baked Choco Banana Muffins which were almost gone last Sunday after our Sacrament service, yet gladly I was some were left for my officemates to taste. Our ref never ran out of bananas since Jay, a friend of mine who have lost about 20 pounds in the period 6 months, warned me to stop my no daily breakfast regimen which causes lower blood sugar level that might lead to brain degeneration and suggested me that I instead should be eating bananas each morning.

Bananas provide greater benefits than most fruits. It contains carbohydrates and B vitamins as energy booster which makes it best to eat at the start of the day. It has a combination of vitamin C, A and high potassium level which helps reduce water retention. It is also a rich source of fiber and iron.

Bananas are helpful if you have ulcer, diarrhea, tummy upsets and constipation and improve blood pressure. It contains tryptophan, a type of protein that converts to serotonin. Serotonin is influential in promoting relaxation which makes a person feel happy. So when you feel gloomy and moody, grub a banana.

Bananas are not only good for health but also benefits beauty. Bananas can be used as a facial to relieve dry skin – mash a banana and add honey, apply over skin, leave for 10 minutes and rinse water. This one I haven’t tried, remove warts by covering them with the inner skin of the banana. I’ll have an update with this one.

Bananas are used in salads, desserts, breads, candies, jams and chips.

CHOCO BANANA MUFFINS

4 large eggs, well-beaten
1 cup margarine
2 cups brown sugar
6 cups all-purpose flour
4 tbsp. baking powder
½ tbsp. bread improver
1 tbsp. cinnamon
3 cups mashed banana
1 cup mini-choco chips, set aside some for toppings.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease muffin pans or line with paper cups. I used silicone muffin pans which do not need to be greased nor papers.
Mix eggs, margarine and brown sugar. Set aside
Sift together flour, baking powder, bread improver and cinnamon.
Blend the dry ingredients to the egg mixture. Add mashed banana and mini-choco chips.
Spoon batter to muffin pans. Top with choco-chips.
Bake for 25 minutes. Cool and serve.

*** You may also add a handful of chopped peanuts or walnuts or almonds or M&Ms. Enjoy!

When I was young, my mother would always tell us that we should be eating carrots, they help prevent cancer. Food on our tables with carrots are Pork Relleno, Chicken Pork Afritada, Soups and Salads. Carrots are typical ingredient in our dishes but unlike Bugs, I don’t find chewing a carrot my snack.

Anyway, here is my carrot bar recipe. I got this recipe a year ago from my Tita Beaulah, and had the step by step procedure over the phone. It is the simplest baked goody I usually do as a treat to my friends during birthdays and get-togethers

CARROT BAR

2 large eggs

¾ vegetable oil

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups flour

½ tsp. salt

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp baking powder

1 cup grated carrots

¼ cup raisins

½ cup chopped peanuts, unsalted

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Beat eggs, oil and sugar. Set aside.

Sift together flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and add to egg mixture.

Mix well. Add carrots, nuts and raisins.

Pour in batter in a greased pan.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Let it cool for a while and slice according to desired size of bars.

It is a sweet and mellow bread but not as fragile as the carrot cake which is always with icing or cream frosting. It is quicker and better for moms who are always running out of time, just like me.
Posted by nez at 8:51 AM 2 comments
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
nez

hi! my name is nez.

i am a mother of my 3 year old son, colby, who is extremely fidgety, always on the game and very choosy with his food to eat. i am always on the experiment of foods to give him. he loves the taste of pasta, pizza, anything that has tomatoes. he is not into sweets, no ice creams, no cakes. he loves veggies which i am so very well pleased. he doesnt like meats except for fish meat like bangus, tilapia, tanguigue, blue marlin and the like. he is into junk foods. i cant blame him for we, royce and i, are into chips and snacks.

i am the wife of royce, an entrepreneur, who is very loving, patient, has a passion to achieve his goals. he loves to eat, does experiments, always tries new restos, new food offers. he is not into sweets either. he would rather have a full meal than having small snacks.

as a couple, royce and i love to eat out especially if we get tired and stressed from the day’s work. when at home, i just prepare simple food on our table but make sure something special during weekends. i get my recipes from the trainings i had from programs our church offers, i am a Latter-day Saint by the way www.lds.org and also from the mothers who i love especially their cooking. i usually browse the net for new recipes like www.pinoycook.net, whom i got the inspiration of creating my own food blog, cooks.com, kitchenomics.com and many more.

i want to share my experiences in eating, cooking, baking, which i know, i am not a pro but just by creating this blog and making myself be read, i hope to give an inspiration to those who wanted to travel with me in journey of living with food with families and friends.