Guava Jelly

It is very rare here in the USA to purchase fresh guava fruit  but I tried the local grocery market HEB  and found it in the frozen section.The guavas are small and yellow like the ones my sisters and I picked at the backyard of my grandma Inang Daling for sinigang dish.So I tried it using a simple sugar and guava juice combo with a touch of lemon juice and the results is so good.


2lbs of thawed whole guava fruits
sugar
lemon juice
clean canning  jar

1.trim the edges of the fruits and cut into halves
2.cover with  just enough water and boil gently  for 30 minutes until tender
3.let it sit for another 30 minutes with out the heat
4.use a blender or food processor or food mill
5. use a strainer lined with kitchen towels or a cheese cloth and let it drip overnight in the fridge.Do not squeeze the juice or it will turn bitter.
6.measure the juice and sugar 1:1ratio  and  a small lemon juice or kalamansi juice and bring it to rolling boil. boil.Test it with chilled spoon until the right jelling consistency. Remove any scums on top.Pour into clean sterilized jar and process it into boiling water for 10 minutes.I  just store mine in the fridge  with out processing because it will be consumed with in a month or so. This recipe only produce 1 jar  of jelly anyway. Use it for pandesal with cheese or crackers or for guava cake filling in my case for pambaon sa school peanut butter and guava jelly. sarap!!

Sapin Sapin

1 1/2 c. Glutinous rice flour
1/2 c. white rice flour
1 c. sugar
1 c. coconut milk
1 c. condensed milk
2 c. mashed ube
purple food coloring, two other colors of your choice

Mix flour and sugar and add coconut milk and condensed milk.
Seperate into three bowls.
Add ube and purple food coloring to one bowl.
add food coloring to the two remaning bowls.
Steam for 30 minutes and add the next mixture on top.
steam for 20 minutes and add the last color on top and steam for another 20 minutes.
Enjoy!!!
Serve with toasted coconut.

Lengua De Gato Cookies(cat's tongue cookies)

This is so buttery crispy thin melt in your mouth sugar cookies. Very easy to  make.The recipe makes 24  small cookies,I used powdered sugar for the melt in your mouth feel.Good with a cup of tea or coffee for a light merienda.


1/2c. unsalted soft butter
2/3c. powdered sugar
2 large eggwhites
1 1/3c. cake flour or all purpose
1t. vanilla extract
1/4t. salt

1. preheat oven to 350 adjust oven rack in the middle, line cookie pans w/ parchment papers or foil
2.cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add eggwhites gradually, then the salt and vanilla
3.add flour and mix well
4.chill (if the dough is too soft)
5.use a pastry bag with a round tip or just use a freezer or sandwich bags cut the ends off to pipe the dough
6.bake for 10-12 minutes watch the oven carefully, the cookies  bake really fast so keep your eyes on them.

Ube Macapuno Roll With Cream Cheese Icing

This is very easy recipe, I used frozen mashed ube and cream cheese macapuno filling. For the icing, so simple cream cheese,powdered sugar and some purple food coloring.Roll the cake into  a dusted powdered sugar cheese cloth while still hot and leave it rolled to an hour while you prepare  the icing and no cracks on the cake see the pictures.My frosting has a rich purple color but it looked dull in the picture. My husband and kids loved it.


1c.sifted cake flour
1/2t. baking soda
1/2t.salt
5large eggs
1c.sugar
1c.thawed mashed ube(found in the frozen section)
1/2t.cinnamon
1/2t.nutmeg
purple/violet food color

1-8 oz softened cream cheese (room temperature)
1c. powdered sugar plus more for dusting and rolling the cake
1t.vanilla extract
1/2 jar of macapuno, ube food color

for the cake:
1.adjust oven rack in the middle and haet oven to 350
2.grease 18x13 baking sheet and line it w/greased and floured wax paper or parchment
3.mix flour,salt,spices,baking soda in a bowl
4. beat eggs  and granulated until pale yellow and thick about 6-8 minutes
5.add the thawed mashed ube mix on low speed until incorporated
6.fold the flour mixture add the violet food color(if using powdered one dissolve i t in a small amount of water before adding,I used the wilton paste)
7.spread the batter evenly and bake for 15 minutes or until cake is firm and springs back to touched
8.flour a clean kitchen towel with powdered sugar, turn the cake upsidedown to the towel and loosen the 4 corners of the cake with a butter knife.
9.gently peel off the paper  attached to the cake and discard,roll the cake gently and cool completely about an hour.


frosting:
1.mix softened cream cheese  with powdered sugar add  vanilla  until smooth in texture(dont add the food coloring  yet)
2.gently unroll the cake and spread the white cream cheese icing about 1/3 of the icing  then the macapuno roll it back gently  leaving the  kitchen towel behind.
3.trim the edges by cutting a slice of both ends, add the violet food coloring into the icing and ice the cake
4.run a fork very gently on top to resemble a log and chill before cutting. Enjoy!

Christmas butter sugar cookies

My kids made these yesterday, it is so easy to make with less ingredients.Just chill the dough and use a christmas cookie cutter ice with simple powder sugar and milk icing  and color icing  with the holiday color. This is just half of the original recipe and makes 24 buttery cookies.The recipe is from The homemade cookies recipe book.


1/2c.butter room temperature
1/2c.sugar
1/2c.sour cream
1 extra large egg yolk
1/2t.vanilla
1 1/2c.sifted APF
1/2t.salt
1/2t.b.powder
1/4 t. baking soda
Sugar (for tops)

Cream butter and sugar thoroughly; add sour cream, egg yolk, and vanilla.
Sift together dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture, blending well; chill.
Roll out the dough flat and cut the shapes out and place on greased cookie sheet. (be sure to flour the cookie cutter and surface)
Place in the oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Fried Rice

day old rice about 4-5 cups
minced ham/bacon/cooked sausage
celery/carrots/peas/onions/garlic minced or use a frozen mixed veggies
hoisin sauce/soysauce or sweet and sour sauce
2T. of oil

1.cook all the meat and add all the veggies
2.add the day old rice  frequently stir them
3. add the hoisin,soy sauce add pepper and salt to your taste,stir
4.the secret of fried rice is constatly stirring so the bottom wont burn
5. taste and  adjust the seasoning, you could add  cooked scrambled eggs too.

Hot Chocolate In A Jar

Hot Chocolate In A Jar

you will need:
Clean jar with lid
Instant hot chocolate mix (best to buy it in the can)
Chocolate chips
mini marshmallows
 candy cane (wrapped)

What to do: Fill the jar half-full with hot chocolate mix. Add a layer of chocolate chips. Then fill to the top with marshmallows. Decorate the lid with ribbon. Tie on a candy can to use as a minty stirrer. Write serving instructions from the hot chocolate can on your gift card.

Stained Glass Cake

Stained Glass Cake

This recipe is very good, we served it at our church christmas party and they loved it! Recipe is courtesy of Cooks Country magazine.

Ingredients:
12 Graham crackers, crushed to fine crumbs (about 1 1/2 cups)
3/4 cup sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
3 (3-ounce) boxes Jell-O
4 1/2 cups boiling water
3/4 cup pineapple juice
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Stir cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, and butter in bowl until crumbs resemble wet sand. Press into bottom of 9-inch springform pan and bake until edges are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

For the filling: In 3 seperate large bowls, whisk each box of Jell-O with 1 1/2 cups boiling water until dissolved. Pour into 3 loaf pans or pie plates and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours. Once Jell-O has solidified, cut into 1/2 inch cubes and keep chilled. Combine 1/4 cup pineapple juice and unflavored gelatin in bowl. Microwave, stirring occasionally, until gelatin is dissolved, 1 to 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in remaning pineapple juice. With electric sand mixer set on medium-high speed, whip cream, vanilla,salt, and remaining sugar until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and slowly add juice mixture until combined. Gently fold Jell-O cubes into cream mixture. Scrape into prepared pan and referigate until set, at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.

Fresh Spring Rolls

This is my husband and my daughter favorite,very light,healthy and minty refreshing. Combined with the peanut hoisin sauce is the all time party appetizer.


12 cooked,peeled shrimp butterfly into two(lay the shrimp flat and cut it into horizontal )
leaf lettuce,matchsticks carrots,mint
boiled  and rinsed rice noodles
vietnamese rice paper
a bowl of warm water


1.wash and dry all the veggies
2.on a clean plate lay all the ingredients
3.dip the rice paper roll in warm water until pliable spread it on a plate.lay 3 shrimp on the rice paper then lettuce carrot sticks then mint.
4.fold the side first then the bottom part make sure its tight  then roll it gently,place on a dish and cover with plastic wrap
5.chill before serving


Peanut Hoisin Sauce


1T.cornstarch
3Tsmooth peanut butter
2T.hoisin sauce.
3/4c.water
1t.sesame oil
a dash of hot sauce
3T brown sugar

1.cook and blend all ingredients until thicken serve  it at room temperature with the spring rolls.

HEALTHY MEAT LOAF

This is my recipe for a healthy meatlof, I hid all the veggies so my kiddos will eat them and it never fail me. They think they are eating  meat but guess what, its good for them. You could use any veggies fresh or frozen as long as not an over powering veggies like bitter melon (ampalaya)(duh!)I used lean ground turkey but a combo of meat will be ok too.The ketchup and bbq sauce together on top give it a little zing. This is like embotido but easier to prepare. I used a meatloaf seasoning but you could mix spices from your pantry  like parsley,oregano,garlic or onion or use fresh spices if available,enough for the talking,here is my  simple recipe.


1lb lean/lowfat ground meat(I used turkey)
2 whole eggs(for low fat use only the egg whites)
1c. rolled oatmeal (I used the old fashioned but you could use the instant too)
1c. low fat milk
2 stalk of celery,1/2 onion, a clove of garlic,1/2 c. frozen peas and carrots or any veggies you like sometimes I used zucchini too
1/2 package meat loaf seasoning (McCormick meatloaf seasoning)or just mix your seasoning like salt ,pepper choice of fresh or dried spices
ketchup and bbq sauce combined, some salt and pepper

1.preheat oven to 350
2.mix oats with milk
3.add spices,eggs,meat
4.put all veggies in a food processors and pulse until little pieces
5.add veggies with the meat mixture and mix until blended with a clean hands
6.spray meatloaf pan with oil, add the meatloaf and top with ketchup and bbq sauce and bake for an hour
7.after baking let it cool down for about 5 minutes before serving.

Kitchen tip: you could throw some potatoes  in the oven for baked potatoes just adjust the cooking time  to 1 1/2 hours. or longer.