I happen to see the Yahoo news this morning which features NEW YORK CHEF DANIEL ANGERER’S BREASTMILK CHEESE. Yap, you read it right! Cheese made of his wife’s breastmilk. This really caught my attention.

So, I asked my friends, “Would you like to try breastmilk cheese?”

Some would say, yummy! Why not? Breastmilk is better than cow’s milk.

Some would say, eeewww! Breastmilk is best for babies up to two years of age. So just give the milk to the babies.

How about you? Would you like to try Breastmilk Cheese?

Low in fat, easy and quick to cook, high in essential minerals and protein – these are the great benefits about fish. And I just realized that it is only the fishes that we prepare, cook and serve with its face. Yeah, we never see a head-on chicken on our plates, more so with any parts of cow or pig.

SWEET AND SOUR FISH is a crispy yet amazingly poured with a thick, red sauce topped with sliced vegetables. I used TILAPIA for this recipe for its all-year round availability, low-priced and versatility. Crispy yet amazingly light makes this SWEET AND SOUR FISH (TILAPIA) wonderful feast for family and friends.

SWEET AND SOUR FISH (TILAPIA)

2-3 large tilapia
cooking oil
salt
flour

3 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 clove garlic, minced
3 medium onions, peeled and quatered
1 tbsp. ginger, peeled and minced
3 tbsp. rice vinegar
3 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 cup chicken, vegetable or fish broth
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into matchsticks
1/4 cup pineapple tidbits

Wash tilapias with running water. Remove scales scraping the fish from tail to head with a knife. Slice from gills to vent. remove entrails (internal organs) with your fingers.

Make sure everything is removed. Wash with running water. Cut fins and wash again. Drain.

Whisk cornstarch and water in a shallow bowl. Set aside.

Place flour and a pinch of salt in a shallow bowl. Heat cooking oil in a large skillet in a medium heat. Dredge tilapia one at a time in the flour mixture, shake off the excess and slip into the skillet. Fry until browned. Flip on the other side and fry until lightly browned. Fry remaining tilapias. Then, set aside.

In a large wok or skillet, heat 2 tbsp. oil, add ginger, garlic and onion. Saute about 30 seconds.

Add rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice and broth. Bring mixture to a simmer.

Add pineapple tidbits, red bell pepper, carrots

Whisk in the cornstarch mixture, constantly stirring until thickened. Then, remove from heat.

Place tilapias on a serving platter. Pour on the thickened sauce over them.

Serve your SWEET AND SOUR FISH with steaming hot rice.

Nope, this is not a Halloween Edition of Hungrynez’ recipe. I know that to some the picture is a yucky, deadly and scary image of chicken feet yet a yummy feast to some just like me. I like to categorize ADOBONG PAA NG MANOK (CHICKEN FEET ADOBO) as one of the exotic foods of Philippine Islands. I believe Asians are much acquainted with Chicken Feet since it is one of Asian Dimsums I find in Chinese Restaurants. And since our country has this influence of Chinese culture, chicken feet are familiar to Filipinos as we serve and eat Chicken Feet as a main dish, finger food or as a street food.

The best part of the Chicken Feet is its edible meat, yeah, it has meat! Its skin and tendon with its gelatinous texture gives a different yet excellent experience far out of the usual chicken meat we usually eat. Chicken feet can be fried, steamed, boiled, stewed, grilled but the best recipe for me is to cook them just as the Philippine’s National Dish, Adobo – cooking Chicken Feet with soy, vinegar, whole peppers, sugar and bay leaves. Scared or dared? You better try some!

ADOBONG PAA NG MANOK (CHICKEN FEET ADOBO)

1 kilo chicken feet
3 heads garlic, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
1 tbsp. ginger, peeled and minced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. black pepper
1/4 cup vinegar
3 pieces bay leaves (laurel)
salt
optional: red chili peppers (minced)

Wash chicken feet thoroughly. Drain.

Rub chicken feet with salt and chop off nails.

Wash with running water. Drain.

Place chicken feet, garlic, onion, ginger, soy sauce, pepper, water, sugar and bay leaves in a pot. Bring to boil and lessen heat.

Simmer for 40-50 minutes until chicken feet are cooked through and tender.

Season with salt and vinegar.

Add water or sugar according to taste.

Add red chili peppers and cook until sauce thickens.

Serve as a finger food or serve with rice as a main dish.

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.

My mom was invited by her former high school friends to a potluck lunch party last weekend. She was hesitant to buy a potluck dish since she wanted to bring something she specially prepared for them, yet uncertain to cook because she didn’t want to go under the tedious process of buying, peeling, chopping, waiting for the meal to be cooked, seasoning, and everything. So, I suggested that I will lend her my turbo broiler so she can make a TURBO BROILED CHICKEN. I am glad she took my suggestion.

Everytime Royce and I got to be invited to potluck parties or expecting some friends for a lunch or dinner, our turbo broiler is the rescuer. Turbo Broiled Pork, Turbo Broiled Fish or TURBO BROILED CHICKEN is a winning potluck dish as secret reveals in the marinade and freshness of the meat or fish.

This TURBO BROILED CHICKEN recipe, a great Lechon Manok or Grilled Chicken imitator, makes the work in the kitchen half the time yet creates fun, fun, fun! Fun to make, fun to eat and fun to those who are watching their diet.

I got a great technique from my mom that instead of marinating the meat in a container which only marinades one side of the chicken and requires turning the meat on the other side to be marinated, she places the marinade mixture and the chicken on a clear plastic bag and seal it with a rubber band so the marinade will cover the whole meat or if not enough to cover the whole meat, just turning the plastic on the other side will automatically marinade the other side of the meat.

TURBO BROILED CHICKEN

1 whole chicken
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 cup onion, peeled and chopped

1 tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 cup calamansi juice (lemon juice)
3 tbsp. oyster sauce
1 cup soy sauce
2 tbsps. catsup
1 tbsp. hot sauce
chili powder (optional)
1 tsp. ground pepper

butter or cooking oil

In a large bowl, mix the brown sugar, calamansi juice, oyster sauce, soy sauce, catsup, hot sauce, dash of chili powder and ground pepper.

Prick chicken all over with a fork to make opening for the marinade to be absorbed thoroughly. This trick will also help the heat quickly absorbed, making helping the chicken evenly cooked.
Place chicken in the marinade sauce, rubbing on the sauce inside and out. Transfer chicken and marinade sauce in a clear plastic bag, seal and marinade in the fridge for 4-8 hours, or overnight for best flavor. Do not place marinated chicken in the freezer.

Place garlic and onion inside chicken. Rub chicken with butter or oil.

Transfer chicken and marinade mixture in turbo broiler.

Broil chicken to 250 degrees for 30 minutes.

Turn to the other side, baste chicken with marinade and broil for another 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Serve whole or chopped with steaming hot rice and marinade sauce on the side.

This BEEF SALPICAO recipe is shared to me by my friend Nerissa during our TGIF gathering. To have the best flavor, the beef needs to be marinated for 4 hours but if you are in a rush, an hour will do. A very tender and comforting dish to satisfy a sudden guest or to bring in a potluck gathering. Try this and you will sure ask for extra rice.

BEEF SALPICAO

2 tbsp cooking oil
1/2 kilo beef tenderloin, cut into strips
1 can button mushroom, halved
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. liquid seasoning
1 tsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. salt
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, sliced

Combine worcestershire sauce, liquid seasoning, garlic and black pepper in a bowl.

Add beef strips, marinate for 4 hours.

After marinating, separate beef strips from marinate sauce.

Heat oil in a pan. Sautee onion and beef strips until evenly browned. Add the remaining marinating sauce and mushroom.

Serve while hot with steamed white rice or mashed potatoes.

February is not just a season to celebrate the romantic spell of Valentine’s Day but the time of year to feast with the abundance of tomatoes. Tomatoes are sold in the wet market for only 5 pesos per kilo. Yeah, you read it right, FIVE PESOS per kilo. Some vendors actually even sell the over-ripped ones for only 3 pesos.

I arrived home from the market, Royce asked me, “Hindi ba OA ito? (Are you not over-acting?),” while holding 2 large plastic bags of tomatoes. Well, I was kind a triggered with the low price so I bought a lot, a lot really. You cannot blame me. With its cheap price, everybody will surely love tomatoes. Tomatoes are eveywhere – inside a sandwich, a side dish, an ingredient to a sautéed vegetable, a complement to a stew, an aid to a salad, a grace to a starter, a cause for a pasta, and many more.

Since our fridge is filled with tomatoes, I cooked GINISANG KAMATIS (Sauteed Tomatoes) to give space for other veggies. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene which is one of the most powerful antioxidants to prevent cancer. They are also loaded with vitamin C, A, iron, magnesium, potassium, riboflavin and thiamine. Some say it is a fruit and some a vegetable. Whatever that is, tomatoes are loved throughout the world specially if it sold for only 5 pesos a kilo.

GINISANG KAMATIS (SAUTEED TOMATOES)

cooking oil
1 kilo ripe tomatoes, quartered, seeds removed
1 tsp. garlic, minced
¼ cup onion, chopped
2 eggs, beaten, seasoned with salt and pepper
2 tbsp. alamang or shrimp paste (optional)
Salt to taste

Saute garlic in cooking oil until light brown. Add onions.

Add shrimp paste. Cook for about 2 minutes.

Add tomatoes. Stirring constantly. Saute until tomato peels curl.

Add beaten eggs, still stirring constantly to prevent from burning.

Add salt, depends on your taste.

Remove from fire.

Serve with fried fish and steamed white rice.

NILAGANG MONGGO (STEWED MUNG BEANS)

2 cups green monggo
5 cups water or more
1/2 kilo pork cubes or pork ribs
1 medium ginger, peeled and crushed
2 tbsp. fish sauce or bagoong
ampalaya leaves or a handful of sliced ampalaya (bitter gourd)
salt to taste

Separately wash green monggo and pork cubes with running water on a strainer.

Pour the water, green monggo, ginger and pork cubes on a pot.

Boil for about 40 minutes or until beans are tender. To lessen cooking time, use a pressure cooker and cook for 20 minutes.

Season with fish sauce and dash with salt.

One minute before turning the heat off, add the ampalaya leaves.

Serve with steamed white rice.

Bonuan Bangus is one of the craze in city of Dagupan, cooked in many different ways – grilled, fried, sinigang, deboned, relleno, kilawin, paksiw, daing, broiled and baked. Dagupan city is well-known for being the best producer of the best tasting milkfish (bangus)in the world, among many other seafoods. But just be sure to buy Dagupan’s Bonuan Bangus from your trusted fish supplier or vendor because some label their bangus as Dagupan Bonuan Bangus yet come from other places and tastes different. The real Bonuan bangus tastes really good. If by chance, you come to visit or pass through the city, don’t forget to try and experience the delectable taste of the real Bonuan Bangus,

Last night, I cooked Paksiw na Bangus which is one the of the easiest way of to cook bangus. It will only take about 10-15 to cook it. Paksiw na Bangus is a native Filipino fish dish dashed with the sour aroma of vinegar and spice of ginger, onion and garlic. You can also use other fish like tuna or tilapia if Bonuan Bangus is not in the fridge.

PAKSIW NA BANGUS

1 medium Bonuan Bangus
1 small ginger, peeled and crushed
1 small onion, peeled and sliced
2 or 3 cloves garlics, peeled and crushed
1 cup vinegar
¼ cup water
1 tsp. fish sauce (patis)
Salt and pepper

Wash, clean and scale fish and drain. Set aside

Place all the ingredients at the bottom of a casserole.

Blend thoroughly by circling the pan and until salt is dissolved.

Put the fish on the casserole.

Cook on a low heat, covered for about 10-15 minutes or until fish’s eyes turned white.

Serve hot with steaming white rice.

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.