I am really glad I am back to do the things I love most, BAKING! A new househelp arrived couple of few weeks ago and took a big part of household chores from me. Days are good because I no longer catching up on laundry, housework and overlooking my children and Royce. I had more time to spend with the kids after work and extra time for cooking and writing. Len has shown her interest with baking when I made Choco Oatmeal with Peanut Butter Squares a week ago. So, I taught her with the basics of baking, and pretending I am a pro. Hahaha. As a beginner in baking, cookies are easy to prepare and to bake. CHOCOLATE OATMEAL COOKIE is one of the recipes my mom taught me since I waskid. It is very simple yet may be considered an extraordinary accomplishment for a starter like Len.

CHOCOLATE OATMEAL COOKIE

for chocolate syrup:
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
pinch of salt
1 tbsp. vanilla

Place all ingredient in a small saucepan. Cook on a low heat, stirring
constantly, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

for oatmeal cookie:
1 cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
1 tbsp. baking powder
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.

Combine flour, baking soda, oatmeal and salt. Mix well. Set aside

Beat margarine and sugar until creamy. Add eggs one at a time. Add the flour and oatmeal mixture.

Drop a dough using round tablespoonfuls onto greased baking pan. Spread a teaspoon of chocolate syrup onto each cookie dough.

Bake for 10-12 minutes in a pre-heated oven. Cool slightly and remove from sheet. Transfer to wire rack.

Serve with a glass of cold drink!

I love oatmeal for the its countless benefits that is why I am addicted to it. I always make sure that we don’t run out of oatmeal in our jar. Royce once found me putting a homemade oatmeal mixture on my face, I was embarrassed with my creepy look but then I was relieved when he asked me to put some on his face too. Oatmeal is not only good for the skin but great for lowering blood cholesterol and a great help as I am striving to lose weight. I guess I deserve a round of applause for slashing 10 pounds since I gave birth. It has been 5 months and it is a slow improvement but 10 pounds is still a reason for me to hail oatmeal, exercise and good diet.

CHOCO OATMEAL with PEANUT BUTTER SQUARES is an improved recipe of my previous post of CHOCO OATMEAL BAR. I added some peanut butter which made it more moist and tastier. I baked these Choco Peanut Butter Oatmeal Squares as a welcome gift to our new neighbor from Laguna and I guess I delighted the family specially the kids who asked me the next day what was that I gave them and requested for more. So, I may say that the experiment is another hit.

CHOCO OATMEAL with PEANUT BUTTER SQUARES

3/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 1/2 cups oatmeal
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
2 tbsp. baking powder
pinch of salt

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

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.

Mix milk, vanilla, and peanut butter and cocoa in a bowl. Set aside.

Sift flour, salt and baking powder together in a separate bowl. Then add oatmeal in the mixture. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs well. Add peanut and butter. Fold in sugar. Now, add the flour mixture to egg mixture. The batter will be stiff. I suggest you cover your hands with a hand plastic so you can mix them well.

Place the mixture in a well greased pan or a pan covered with baking paper.

Reserve a cup of the mixture and set aside. Press down lightly the mixture, spread equally in the pan.

Drizzle the chocolate mixture on the peanut butter oatmeal layer.

Drop bits of remaining peanut butter oatmeal mixture on top.

Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Place the pan on a wire rack and cool completely. Invert to a flat pan and re-invert to another flat pan. Then slice to desired sizes.

I am enjoying the long vacation we have for this lenten season – get-together with the family, overnight stay at Baguio, swimming at Leisure Coast Resort, a time of worship, and most especially great meal moments with my family. I had the box of Maya Pancake since December and thankfully, I finally had a time to do the work with HOTCAKES or PANCAKES. Though I made a bit variation to break the traditional hotcake recipe which I find a bit boring, so I added a tablespoon of fresh orange juice. Then I thought of labeling them as ZESTY HOTCAKE.
Hotcakes from scratch can be such a fun to make because kids can participate in preparation and cooking. But if there is a rush or if a bit sleepy in the morning and brain is not working well, measuring flour and the rest of ingredients will not work since a complete presence of mind is needed in this task.

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.

I know, it has been a while… a very, very long while. It has been more than 4 months since I keyed in my last blog entry. I know being pregnant is not a valid excuse for being gone from blogosphere as I am on my 6th month now. I have been over with those cravings and aversions but I had a very hard time getting myself upbeat from August up to mid of November. Though mood swings gradually disappeared, fatigue hurriedly emerged in my body. It was just about last December since I got back to my normal self with my tummy getting big each day. Some friends asked if I placed my food blog in the death row, some asked why I decided to stop posting in my food blog, not to mention their question on when can they have my baked goodies again. My blogging had a sudden stop (for a while…) but I am just glad I am back and tell you what highlights I had for the past four months.

Last October, hungrynez.com was included as one of nominees for the country’s best food and beverage blog category of The Philippine Blog Awards. I am very proud and at the same time humbled for the nomination. hungrynez.com is young and new but then it was tagged with blogs that are mature, skilled and very much creative. It is still really unbelievable and impossible but hey it is real and it is really amazing! The nomination made me feel that my efforts in writing and my passion for food are worthwhile. My friend and I planned to go to the awards night last October 10 in Peta Theater, Quezon City but then 2 days before that, October 8, the typhoon Pepeng hit our province hard and caused a terrible flood. No possible way for us to be there. We were very sad we were not able to attend but then I am grateful to the people of The Philippine Blog Awards for this great privilege of being included as the finalist for best food and beverage blog. Again, thank you!

Also, I want to express my gratitude to yummy.ph especially to Ms. Bridgette Ann Rebuca for the wonderful write-up she made for hungrynez . I am terribly sorry for not getting in touch. I truly got out from the world of connection.

I turned 29 last December and about to leave my twenties (waaaaaa!). Looking back, life has been full of happiness and achievements. Though there were some frustrations and disappointments, they were too small to give detail compared to success I had as an individual.

Well, Christmas had passed and Year 2010 came and I didn’t cook much, same thing with networking. Royce, Colby and I spent the holiday season at my mom’s place. She did most of the cooking and I do the buying – cakes, ice creams and anything ready to eat. I just took time reading, watching and sleeping. No wonder I gained 22 pounds since I got pregnant.

And I am adding even more pounds. I have my excuse anyway, I am pregnant! Since somehow I am back with myself, I did a little baking a while ago and good thing I am back with my blog! I am again renewed with my cooking, my writing and my blogging. I am just glad I am back!

Chocolate Muffins

2 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 tsps. baking powder
1 tsps. vanilla essence
2/3 cup butter
candy sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 deg F (gas mark 4)

Sift flour and baking powder. Set aside.

Cream the butter until light and fluffy.

Add sugar and egg alternately and continue creaming until the mixture is smooth.

Stir in the flour mixture. Blend well.

Add vanilla.

Pour the mixture into a well greased pan.

Add candy sprinkles on top.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until done.

We will be welcoming a new member of the family 8 months from now! Yes, I am a month pregnant and I am excited again for our new baby! And to mark this day with a celebration, I baked Pound Cake to share with family and some friends.

Pound cake is a light cake with delicate crumbs. A very simple cake to bake which remains as one of the amateur bakers’ best pleasure – nobody commits mistake with Pound Cake. Just carefully follow the instructions and you will be baking like a pro!

1 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. coffee creamer
lemon zest

Preheat oven to 340 degrees F.
Lightly butter cake pan. Dust it with flour. Make sure all corners are well coated. Tap out any excess.
Sift flour, coffee creamer, baking powder and salt.
Cream butter until it turns light in color. Gradually add sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Then add lemon zest and vanilla. Fold in the flour mixture in the butter mixture. Pour and scrap the batter into the pan, smoothing it to the corners.
Bake until puffed and firm to touch and golden about, 40-50 minutes or until toothpick come out clean when inserted in the center.
Set the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the cake out of the pan and continue cooling on the rack in a room temperature.
Then, slice and serve your Pound Cake with a hot or cold drink!

I know I have already posted a number of cookie recipes here in my blog. But yesterday my co-workers, who checked my blog for the first time, were teasing me for not having tasted any of my baked goodies yet, so, I made the easiest and quickest cookie recipe for them. I made them last night – my preparation time was about 20 minutes and baking time was just only 15 minutes. And the cookies were ready!

I got this recipe from Ma’am Fladiza Castillo who is a teacher of Food and Technology at Pangasinan State University. I never got a hold of her since the training I had with her but I heard she and her family migrated to New Zealand. She gave a number of recipes which are mostly quick prep breads and food preserves some of which which I will be making soon.

This is a big shout for those who wanted to start baking and doesn’t want to get frustrated of doing something wrong with the goodies. Sugar Cookies are best baked cookie recipe as a birth of a new baker arises. These are best for snack or even as a dessert!

5 cups of flour
2 cups white sugar, and 1/2 cup for toppings
1/2 cup margarine
1/4 cup milk
3 pcs. large eggs
4 tbsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. vanilla

Place 1/2 cup of sugar in a shallow bowl. Set aside.
Sift flour and baking powder together. Set aside.
Cream the margarine until lemon in color. Add the sugar at a time, alternately with egg. Cream until smooth.
Add flour mixture alternately with milk. Blend well. Important: Do not overwork the dough.
Use a cookie scoop or measuring spoon (I used 1 tbsp. spoon). Be sure to shape cookies in all same sizes so they will be baked evenly. Roll each cookie with your hands and flat each cookie.
Drop one side of each cookie in sugar. Arrange in a well-greased pan or cookie sheets.
Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Let them cool and enjoy!

One of the things I like about working in an educational institution is having a frequent FREE food tasting from students of Hotel and Restaurant Management and Nursing Nutrition class. I always ask for the recipes they make if a meal gets my palate’s interest. I have been enjoying this treat for 5 years now since I got the job in the school. I have collected a good number of recipes from international cuisines to local faves ranging from the tummy crumbling appetizers to mouth watering desserts.

Cindy & Cris Sheil in my office

Last weekend, while enjoying the cool and rainy weather, I got to have time to be at home. I browsed my old and wrinkled recipes from my container box and did some filing. Some of the recipes were cut from newspapers and magazines, some were photocopies from books (it’s okay, don’t worry, I’m using it just for personal use), some were print-outs from food blogs, and some were from the trainings I attended. But most of the ones I now have are those that are from the kitchen-tested recipes that are being taught to the students of the school I work at. So while in the process of filing the mountain of papers, I saw the Chocolate Crinkles recipe that my friends, Cris Sheil and Cindy, gave me few years ago during their college days here in the school. So I made this after the Fruity Gelatin Layer that Colby and I made.

Chocolate Crinkles is also known as Blacks and Whites because its black cookie, coated with white confectioners sugar. A very chocolaty, crisp outside and heavenly soft inside cookie that everyone will surely love. There is a reminder though to have a perfect Chocolat Crinkles. This recipe needs for at least 5 hours chilling or they might end up like the Peanut Butter Cookie dissatisfaction.

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine cocoa, brown sugar, vanilla, and vegetable oil. Add in eggs one at a time. Then, add in the flour mixture. Cover bowl with a plastic or foil. Chill for at least 5 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degress. In a shallow bowl, pour confectioner’s sugar. Scoop dough with a teaspoon, roll and flat each cookie. Place one side of the cookie on the confectioner’s sugar until completely coated. Do this fast because your chocolate cookies will absorb the confectioner’s sugar fast. Place each cookie onto pans.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven. Do not overbake – this will make your cookies dry.

This mixture makes 24 chocolate crinkles.