Magnolia Chicken Cordon Bleu

Thanks to ready-to-cook frozen packs like these (each box contains 3 pieces), I need not learn to prepare Chicken Cordon Bleu anymore. All I need is a hot pot of oil.

I deep fry it until in low to medium heat until it turns golden brown.

I just love this for breakfast. It is golden crispy on the outside, juicy and tasty on the inside with the cheese, ham bacon filling. It is a great way to start my day.

The Old Fashioned Taho

He is our friendly neighborhood magtataho. Although he no longer lugs his taho canisters on his shoulders the way I remember magtatahos did when I was younger, (since he now has his trike), he still calls out that same tune "Tahooooooo! Tahooooooo!" for the whole neighborhood to hear.

The taho, the arnibal and the sago.

Watch as your glass is filled up with these fine ingredients into one deliciously sweet delight that helps perk up our Sunday mornings.

For P15.00, this treat is healthy and oh so worth it.

I have tried new concoctions of the taho in restaurants. But I would say, nothing beats the old fashioned taho.

Prawns In Soy Sauce

I am not a great cook, though just like everyone else, I try to be. I like recipes that are simple to do with a relatively short list of easy-to-find ingredients. And here is another quick-fix but definitely not short-in-taste dish that I love to prepare for Mon. It is so easy that even a child can do this.

Simply marinate the prawns in soy sauce and calamansi juice for a few minutes.

In a small wok, saute ginger slices , minced garlic and onion slices.

Just add in the prawns and its marinade into the wok and cover. Wait for it to cook through.

A teaspoon or more of sugar can now be added to adjust the dish to your taste. At this point, leeks or spring onions may be added. Unfortunately, I was out of it last night.

Just before turning off the heat, add cornstarch dissolved in water to thicken the sauce. When the sauce has thickened enough, simply pour the entire dish onto the serving plate and serve hot. Enjoy!

Take my word for it..... simple, very quick and delicious! Try it!

Kenny Rogers Roasters

I was so excited to visit Kenny Rogers Roasters again after a long long time. Mon and I were trying to find a good place for lunch and Kenny's was the first one we saw at Market Market.

The interior was inviting. Spacious, cozy and bright. Very impressive.

I wish I could say the same thing about the food, though. Mon had the Italian sausage meal. Well, he said it was just alright. Nothing really spectacular.

I wanted to have their Rib Combo but I found its price a bit too steep for a regular weekday lunch. So I settled for their chicken combo, with macaroni and cheese sidings. The chicken was a bit dry and stale. And the mac and cheese a bit soggy. Even their steamed rice was disappointing.

This saved the day. At least their corn muffins have not changed. Or did they shrink in size a bit? Even Sumire wondered.

Mangosteen

I seldom get to enjoy this fruit because it is seasonal. And now that September is here, it is the season to be jolly with mangosteen!

It is hard and tough on the outside, white, juicy and sweet on the inside.

It would be difficult not to like mangosteen.

Just Crab Claws

At Aani Weekend Market, crab claws can be bought by the kilo!

Each claw is filled with fresh and juicy crab meat that when steamed to perfection blends perfectly with my favorite sukang may bawang!

Maybe there is less guilt in eating crab claws since there is no aligue (crab fat)...

But what makes me guilty is that I couldn't seem to get enough of it!

Our Caldereta

No one makes caldereta better than my Mom. Her very own style is simple, with the simplest ingredients, but really big in taste.

The ingredients cannot get any simpler than these, garlic and onions. But lots and lots of them! The more, the merrier, indeed.

Hana was a bit worried, though, at the huge mounds of chopped garlic and onions she saw.

Of course the main ingredient would be your choice cut of beef. I personally prefer beef ribs. I add in some cut brisket to add more meat to the dish. The meat is marinated in some soy sauce and a little vinegar for about 30 mins.

Then, the cooking starts. Simply saute the huge mounds of garlic and onions in butter or margarine. Then add the chunks of beef into the pot and saute some more until you brown the meat.

It should look like this at this point. Add, then, enough water to cover the dish and simmer until the meat is tender, really tender.

By the time the meat is tender and almost falling off the bone, the sauce would have been reduced and thickened. Add then a small can of liver spread for more flavor and texture. (Pound liver is actually preferred.)

And still, a few minutes before turning of the heat, grated cheese (I use Magnolia Quickmelt Cheese) is added. It should thicken the sauce even more and add extra creaminess to the dish.

The last thing added would be the siling labuyo to give the Caldereta that kick. Add as much sili as you want depending on how hot you want it to be.

I am proud of my Mom's Caldereta. No carrots, no potatotes, no olives, no tomato sauce, but hers is the best I have tried. Until now, my version pales in comparison to hers, but I believe I am slowly perfecting her art of Caldereta.

I never eat Caldereta cooked any other way. Try it. You will know what I mean.

Brooklyn Pizza

I couldn't think of any pizzeria that lets you customize your pizza other than Brooklyn Pizza.

From their menu, Mon and I chose four flavors that we liked and had 2 slices made for each.

This huge 18-inch pizza was delivered just the way we ordered them.... and the best part of hit, still hot and crispy! It was like having 4 pizzas in 1!

Anchovies and garlic flavor (left) and White Pizza flavor (right,) topped with mozarella, parmesan & ricotta cheese)

Deluxe flavor (left) topped with Italian sausage, ham, pepperoni, bacon, black olives, green peppers, onions & mushrooms; and Vegetarian flavor (right) topped with black olives, green peppers, onions, mushrooms & tomatoes

Each slice is literally a plateful!