Chicken Katsu

https://youtu.be/MK3q6VEXUp8

 Nothing has changed, as always when my unico or my husband will request for me to cook what they are craving for and  given that we have the ingredients or could be easily bought from close by grocery store, their wish is my command.

This time our unico requested for me to cook or make Chicken Katsu, it is one of his all time favorite and it so happened I just bought some chicken breast and that I also  have all the rest of the ingredients then it shall be done.

Also , right there and then I knew that we will have sliced  mini cucumber drizzled with sesame oil, freshly grind black pepper and salt for our side and of course some steamed rice.

Pls see my video thru YouTube and hope you will enjoy it.

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Eat Well!!!

Chicken Adobo with a Twist

Chicken Adobo with a Twist was prepared on "ourmeza" for our lunch today with some steamed rice and side salad with asian sesame dressing.

Once again, I was chit chatting with my cousin when she mentioned that she would try the Picadillo and the Pad Thai from my previous post. Told her it is so easy to make and she could also make some changes with the ingredients according to the taste of her family.

Then we've talked about my "Pininyahang manok" post being that it is one of the number one clicked on, on my "ourmeza" foodblog. I've mention to her too that I'll be posting the Chicken Adobo with a Twist. When I told her what it is, she said it would be great because it is easier to make than "Pininyahang manok" but it taste as delicious and the sauce is just simply tasty. She had mentioned too that her kids love it. So I told her about my recipe for it and she told me her recipe for it and at the end I've incorporated both and the result....yummylicious..lol. Seriously it is good and that my husband took it to work for his lunch and still asked for it when he came home. Thats how good it is and not to forget our most picky "unico hijo" enjoyed it very much as well.

Too much introduction already, what is the twist??? Well lots of people know this already but to some who dont, the twist is the pineapple....that simple but it makes a lot of difference. Some people actually call it Pininyahang Manok but the version of Pininyahang manok I grew up with is the one that I've posted, the one with the milk. So some knows this recipe as Pininyahang Manok, Chicken Adobo with Pineapple, now lets call it Chicken Adobo with a Twist....

Below would be the recipe or the ingredients and procedure hahaha as if it is so hard. Anyway we all know that adobo is such an easy dish to prepare so this would be too.

Ingredients:

Chicken cut into desired size

garlic

onion (others dont put this, I do)

tomatoes (others dont put this, I do)

pineapple chunks

soy sauce

ground black pepper

bay leaves (two)

vinegar (others dont put this anymore, they only use the juice from the pineapple chunks,my cousin dont use vinegar in her recipe but I do)

Procedure:

Brown chicken, all sides and set aside.

Saute garlic,onion,tomatoes. Put back the browned chicken. Add the pineapple juice,vinegar,soy sauce,bay leaves,ground black pepper and half of the pineapple chunks. Dont stir until it simmer. Let it cook. When almost done add the rest of the pineapple chunks.

It is so easy to do. Just like making adobo. If you want mixed all ingredients except the pineapple chunks. Let it cook but before it is done add the pineapple chunks, simmer some more and serve it hot with steamed rice and some side salad.

Extra Extra Extra:

When my dad was here to accompany us, when my husband was out of the country. We, my dad,son and I went to the Farmers market. There, we've found different kinds of fruits,vegetables,flowers,pastries and different kind of ethnic cuisine. We bought some flowers,vegetables and fruits. But my dad found some fresh peanuts. He said it would be perfect for "nilang mani". Just thought this is the best time to post it. It would be a great snacks with family while reminiscing or watching a movie...

Nilagang Mani!

So easy to make, wash peanuts. Then put it in a pot covered with water and salt it ofcourse.

Let it boil for 30min or so depending how much you are making.

Try one to see if it is cooked and add more salt if needed.

Easy snacks for everyone to enjoy.

Tinolang Manok

Tinolang Manok was prepared on "ourmeza" today for lunch.

We all have been sick for the last few days and still recuperating. And so I have been preparing meals despite of being sick myself, food with soup. So I have been cooking "sopas" which I have previously posted, sinigang sa miso salmon (been posted too), sinampalukang manok (posted) and yesterday since I was strong enough to do a quick run to the store to buy some of our food supplies and medicines, I stopped by our local filipino store. And there I've found some good looking unripe papayas and that gave me an idea to cook some Tinolang manok. I havent cooked it for probably more or less one year so I thought it would be perfect for us. Bought some "siling labuyo", ginger and pepper leaves and I am all set to cook my tinola.

When I cook Tinolang Manok, I would normally use small whole chicken and I would normally cut it into desired size and it will be good for us for lunch and dinner. But since we are all sick and wont be able to eat as much, I only cooked half of it and made the other half as adobo for the next day.

To cook, ingredients needed:

Chicken cut into desired size

unripe papaya (chayote can be used but my family prefer papaya so thats what I use. If theres no papaya no Chicken Tinola for us...lol. )
pepper leaves

ginger

garlic

onion

water

siling labuyo smashed(optional, but its a must for me and my family prefer their tinola with a kick)

ground black pepper ( to us since we have little one to feed) or peppercorns are just fine

Patis or salt to taste

Procedure:

Saute, ginger,garlic and onion. Add chicken brown all sides. Add some "siling labuyo" and patis or salt, ground black pepper or peppercorns and let it simmer. Then add enough water to cover your chicken, more can be added if preferred. When chicken is almost done add the unripe papayas and do not over cooked it.

Lastly add the pepperleaves. Serve hot with steamed rice.

This would definely warm you up especially this winter.

BBQ Chicken on a Stick and Herb Potatoes

Chicken BBQ was prepared on our "meza" or on our table for dinner just the other day.



I was in the grocery store when they were stocking up the skinless and boneless chicken. And automatically, I thought it would be good for grilling with some grilled herb potatoes, green salad and some ice cold cantaloupe juice. I already have the whole menu for dinner figured out in that moment.
So I went ahead and bought 3 packages.



The first package would definitely for bbq/grilling, other package for chicken afritada and the last one for bbq/grilling again perhaps since we love grilling or I'll use it for chicken salad, we'll see and it would be posted definitely.


So for Chicken BBQ cut chicken to desired size... marinate it in:


pineapple juice

red pepper flakes

ground black pepper

garlic

lemon

sugar

soy sauce.



Marinating over night is always better. And on the day you are grilling/doing your bbq, soak your bbq sticks in water ahead of time so it wont get burn, soak it for at least a good 1 hour or more. Indoor grilling is good if your kitchen is well ventilated and your exhaust fan is working properly or else you'll have smoke all over your house and will definitely trigger the smoke alarm. Grilling or doing ur bbq outside is always ideal but grilling indoor is not bad aswell. So which ever is convenient at the moment and will make it easy for you, do it. It was weeknight so I used our indoor grill and result not bad at all...



Anyway...so we grilled or BBQ our BBQ Chicken on a stick indoor on top of our stove grill. We cooked each side till done. While grilling I put the herb potatoes on the sides to cook.



For Herb Potatoes, I used big rosset potatoes and sliced witht he jagged edger knife. Season it with salt,pepper, olive oil and some dried herbs that I have in our pantry.



So for that dinner once again we have simple and easy to prepare food on "our meza" with full of flavor and taste.



At the end of our dinner my husband and son thanked me for another wonderful but yet simple dinner. And it means a lot to me and it warms my heart that they loved it.

Pininyahang Manok or Chicken with Pineapple

We had a family get together last weekend to watch Pacquaio vs. Barerra Fight in Pay Perview HBO hosted by my parents and brother. It was potluck style get together. Each family brought something for the boxing event and this all happened just because of Pacquaio. Don't get me wrong we always have family get together in fact even if its not a holiday or a birthday, we all get together and most of the time hosted by my parents and sometimes my uncle or my auntie.

I could still remember when I was still single, whenever one family member will have some filipino food cravings that we dont normally eat on a regular basis it would be cooked and prepared and then we'll start calling everyone to come and join us. For instance if we have made some halo-halo, aroz caldo and tokwa't baboy , biko ( the one you eat during simbang gabi, we actually have those clay pot or clay plate),palabok, sopas, spaghetti, lasagna or if i've tried and cooked new recipe or just because we have some bbq definitely we'll call and they would come. Eating with them and the stories being told during consumption, I guess were and are one of the simple joy of just spending time with our family. And there were times that my aunt would call us because she made some mouth watering dishes. Well actually she knows lots of authentic filipino dish. Some days she'll call because she made some pancit lomi or pancit molo, batchoy, puto and dinuguan, diningdeng, murkon all of the filipino dish you could ever think of she could make it. And then there is my uncle, he'll call because of bbq, he loves bbq and he loves sharing it with us or when he caught something after goin' fishing or crabbing he'll call and say I have some fresh fish and crab " come, eat and take home some". Once he had a big bonus from work guess what he grilled some lobsters and ofcourse he called everyone to come and join to eat and still he gave us some live lobsters to take home to cook.

Notice anything yet? hahaha oh well so food been the staple of our family's get together. Even when we were in the Philippines its been like that. Simply knowing that someone is coming for a visit,vacation or returning from being away because of work, believe me lots of food would be prepared including the favorite dish of that person.

Food my be one reason of the get together but theres two other things that always happened during that get together. What? Singing and dancing ofcourse...oh how my family love singing. The microphone will go around the room and everyone will be eager to grab it hahaha...and while singing one will dance, other will join and laughters will fill the room. Others will have teary eyed from laughing and others running to the restroom from laughing so hard and end up doing number 1. Oh glory days passed us by so quickly but the memories truly stays as the treasures of our heart.
Anyway so I guess watching Pacquiao fight is the another way for our family to get together. And each family came bearing foodssss...lol. So on my parents dining table were filled with different kind of authentic filipino cuisine. We have Diningdeng, menudo, kaldereta, bbq, palabok, soup sotanghon, peking duck, biko and my chicken with pineapple. Sadly I was unable to take pictures of everything coz we forgot to bring our digital camera. So the picture that I only have is the chicken with pineapple that I've made from home to take to S.J for the potluck for Pacquaio fight. I've learned this recipe from my aunt whose passion in cooking kinda passed on to me.
So to make this pininyahang manok or chicken with pineapple you need; chicken cut into desired size, red and green bell pepper, 2 cans of pineapple chunks, garlic, onion, red pepper flakes and evaporated milk. Procedure: marinate chicken in the pineapple juice of the pineapple chunks 6 hrs or overnite is much better. Brown chicken and set aside. Saute garlic and onion. Put back the chicken and the pineaapple juice. When almost done put the pineapple,green and red bell peppers. Simmer then add the evaporated milk. Do not let it boil, just simmer and salt and pepper to taste. Absolutely tasty and the sauce is a dish by itself already. So during potluck it is one of the dish that were consumed right away.
I guess being that food is one of the staple in our family get together I tend to try and create new recipe to bring and to share with them. And till that get together my husband and "kulit" were and are the ones enjoying with much "gusto" the food that I serve on our "meza" or table.

Sinampalukang Manok (Chicken in Tamarind Soup Base)

Cutting on your calorie intake? Trying to eat healthy? But your all time favorite filipino dish or "ulam" is sinigang na baboy? And so far according to the Question and Answer part of my blog, sinigang na baboy right now is on top of the list of "What is your favorite filipino dish"? Who would not like it? Aside from it is tasty,delicious and would warm you up, it has plenty of vegetables. But....here comes the but.. if you are trying to cut your calorie intake I guess you could not have it as often as you want. So if you've had it just a few days back and once again craving for it, the best alternative is the " Sinampalukang Manok". It is as tasty, delicious and all of the vegetables in the sinigang pork could be used also in this dish. So the only difference is the kind of meat, chicken instead of pork.
And as I've mention before, spring came and we hardly eat any kind of red meat. And since I would like to keep it that way, sinampalukang manok came to mind to cook as sinigang . I have cooked it lots of time before I got married so I know it would be the best alternative for sinigang na baboy in some occasion ( now and then we crave for the sinigang the baboy so we give in. once in a while is not bad than all the time right?).
Anyway, even before, my parents,brother and other relatives loved it when I make it for them. Once, while eating it, one said: "hmmm sarap ah. parang nasa philippines tayo ah..". And now married why not cook it again. I did and my husband and son absolutely love it. I normally serve it steaming hot with hot steamed rice and all the time they were both asking for more and would ask the next day if we have more. And now that it is staring to get cold, eating it is much better than ever. We just had it a week ago and my husband requested for me to cook it again. So I did, and sinampalukang manok was prepared on our "meza" last nite once again. It is healthy, loaded with different kind of vegetables and the tamarind soup base contained vitamin c. So now that cold season is coming soon, sinampalukang manok would definitely frequent our "meza" or table.

Ingredients: Chicken cut into desired size. String beans,raddish,eggplant, okra(optional),anaheim pepper, 2 siling labuyo (crushed), young tamarind leaves if none, use green mustard leaves, sinigang tamarind powder packet, salt to taste or use just a tad of patis with calamansi.

Procedure: Brown chicken and put aside. Saute onion,garlic, (ginger optional) put back the chicken add the crushed siling labuya,power tamarind and a bit of patis with calamansi. Let it simmer and then add water just enough to cover the chicken and add the anaheim pepper. Cook until chicken is done. Add all the vegetables last and half cook only. Serve hot with hot steamed white rice or hot steamed brown rice. ( shhhh.. others have patis with calamansi or lemon on the side for added taste)

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken with Stir-fried Squash

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken with Stir-fried Squash was prepared on our "meza" last nite for dinner.

I've marinated the chicken last Thursday nite so I could grill it for friday night dinner and I've cut the squash julienned for our side vegetable dish but my husband called Friday afternoon and said that he'll be bringing some sub sandwich and not to cook anymore because he wants to drive around before sunset to unwind after a stressful week at work. And so after a quick dinner, we drove up to the hill and there, we could see the city and the view are simply amazing. And up there you'll have this feeling of as if you are so faraway from the worries of world because you are overlooking it. No wonder others pay millions of dollars to live up there. But we also notice that there are huge houses or a mansion per se around the area but it seems so empty and no sign of anyone living out there. Oh well to each its own I guess.

Anyway, so last nite I finally grilled the marinated teriyaki chicken and I've stir-fried the squash. And I've cut some fresh tomatoes too for garnish. Steamed rice was prepared also and some water melon as our fruit dessert. Delicious, healthy, tasty, light and one satisfying meal prepared on our "meza".

Tip: If I have extra time and I know what I would cook the next day, I tend to start preparing for it like cutting the ingredients and etc. so that I wont be in the kitchen for a long time and I'll have plenty of time to spend some quality time with my husband and son after work and school.

On Father's Day

Father's Day was celebrated in our son's school. All fathers were invited for a luncheon celebration . Our son insisted for his father to come and so like a good father he took two hours lunch from work on that day. He was treated for lunch with pizza,fruits and salad. And hand made gift from our son, key chain with a mini basketball and a handmade card with our son's very own handwritten signature (we are very proud that at a young age he could write his own name).
Father's Day came, my husband just would like to celebrate it at home with our son and I. And so my son and I gave him a father's day card and a polo shirt that matches our son's and mine. So we will be the three stooges...lol. Ofcourse I have cooked his favorite spaghetti, baked some garlic bread and cooked some chicken afritada his new favorite.

Below are the pictures:

Spaghetti Garlic Bread Chicken Afritada

For my dad we sent him a father's day card and some scratcher and a penny for him to use to scratch the scratcher big spin. He loves scratcher and guess what he won a few bucks. He called us and got a big laugh about the card,the scratchers and the penny and most of all for winning some money.

Father's day was celebrated simply but full of laughter,love and peace.

So for my husband who is the best father there is for my son, deserve everything good in life. And for my dad who's been there and very supportive of us, we respect and love him dearly.

Broiled Chicken Adobo with coconut milk

Broiled Chicken Adobo with Coconut milk


As I have mentioned before, everytime I would talk to my mom, friends or relatives I would ask them what is good to cook or what are you having for lunch or dinner? Why do I ask this? Because I want to get an idea of what I could cook next or maybe they will say something different than what I usually cook. And so last time I spoke with my cousin I asked her what are you having for lunch she said chicken with coconut milk or "manok na adobo sa gata". So I was like oh yeah, I havent cooked that for quite awhile and the last I made it, it was not a big hit with my family. And so I asked for her recipe and she gave it to me. It is almost similar to what I have cooked before so I went ahead a did a internet research for chicken with coconut milk or chicken adobo or "manok na may gata" and viola a recipe for "Chicken adobo" came up and it is in Martha Stewarts website. And while reading this "chicken adobo entry, I've found that there was a video of a filipino chef based in NY cooking adobo. So I was like wow really and I got all excited. It is a different way of cooking adobo because some broiling is involve. You will still need exact same ingredients for adobo plus coconut milk. He marinated the chicken with all the ingredients then boiled it till it is almost done. He then put it into the oven to broil until golden brown. And while in the oven, the sauce that was left behind from boiling the marinated chicken was left to simmer until it was thick. And so I did as he did it. And the result is the above picture, the golden brown chicken with crunchy skin and the sauce on the side for dipping. Is this a hit with my family when I prepared this on "our meza"? Yes and no. My husband ate it and said its different but good, my son ate mostly the skin eventhough we said dont but he prefer it because it is crunchy. So verdict 50/50. So try the broiled version of adobo or the good old ways.

Chicken Afritada

Last time we went to Bay Area to visit my family, my mom have prepared some chicken afritada for us. I've had it before so many times but for some reason I've never really cooked it when I've started my own family. And so when my husband and son tried it for the first time they really like it and asked me to make it at home. Few weeks have passed before I made it.

For this dish ,the key ingredients are fresh tomatoes, plenty of them. Well the version that we had in the Bay Area were just perfect but we wished there were more sauce because just the sauce is a dish by it self already and we love sauce in our dish.

When it was my turn to cook it at home, I've asked my mom ofcourse for the recipe of chicken afritada. In my moms recipe, she have used tomatoes and tomato sauce combine to give it a rich red color and it taste just perfect.

First time I've tried to make it or to cook it, I've followed my mom's recipe as is. And the result, it was a hit with my husband and son. My husband brought it to work as his "baon" or lunch and my son asked for it again when he got home after school.

But this time, second time I've cooked it I've added some and I've taken out some to really make it my own. This time I didnt use a tomato sauce but instead I've used some "atswete" or anato seeds for the color and to give it a nutty or tangy taste which I think is perfect with the sweet plum tomatoes that I've just bought. I've used twice as much tomatoes as my first try to cook it . Result? I believe it is as good as the first one because I've got same reaction, they both asked for it again. The difference only is that it is a bit nutty because of the "atswete" which it made it taste authentic and it is just perfect. So if you want a nutty taste use atswete but if you want all tomatoes use tomato sauce and either way, you could never go wrong.

Ingredients:

Chicken cut into desired size

Tomotoes 5 to 6 pieces seeded

onion

garlic

potato quartered

red bell pepper sliced

aswete ( if powdered aswete just dissolve in lukewarm water but if using anato seeds, soak anato seeds in a cup of lukewarm water,strained and throw away the seeds)

tablespoon of soy sauce

1 bay leaf

salt to taste

Procedure:

Brown chicken and potato. Set aside.

Saute garlic,onion and tomatoes. Add chicken, soy sauce, tomato sauce or the aswete let it simmer. When almost done add the bell pepper, bay leaf and potato. Salt to taste. When done serve hot with steamed rice. And so this is what we have on "our meza" for dinner. Easy to cook. It is a simple dish with lots of flavor.

Chicken with Sweet Pickles

Every time I call my mom, cousins or a friend, I would always ask them what is good to cook or easy to make after a hard day from work? "Adobo" chicken or pork or beef will always come up. I've cooked it so many times so I really need something new to surprise my husband and son.
Few days back my husband and I were munching with some crunchy baby sweet pickles and so I thought, why not cook a dish with some sweet pickles. And I happened to know one which is chicken with sweet pickles. Back home in the Phillippines it is normally serve during Fiesta time or special occasion. And the smell of it will make you hungry for it. But ofcourse it can be served also on any regular day also.

So I've looked for the recipe and found it in my recipe book. As always I will subtract some or add some ingredients according to our taste and to make it my own. I do this so I could cook it according to the taste of my family. I have the pickiest people that I needed to think of and to feed, none other than my husband, our unico hijo and moi ofcourse.

So for our dinner Chicken with Sweet Pickles it is. My husband and I love to eat baby crunchy sweet pickles for snacks and our son likes sweet and tangy taste so it will do.


Ingredients:
Chicken skinless cut to desired size
1 onion
3 tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic
1 cup of sweet pickles cut thinly (put aside the juice from the pickles)
1/2 cup of sweet pickle relish
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper ( optional for added color)
2 siling labuyo crushed or pinch of red pepper flakes
soy sauce,vinegar and sugar
1 can of vienna sausage cut diagonaly (if you have kids this will be a hit but this is optional)

Procedure:
Saute garlic,onion and tomato then add the chicken and your "siling labuyo" or a pinch or two of the red pepper flakes. When chicken is almost done add the sweet pickles and its juice. Let it simmer for a few minutes then add your soy sauce,vinegar and sugar according to your taste. Add the vienna sausage and red bell pepper last. Serve with steam rice and garden salad will be perfect.

The "Pamana" Chicken /Pork Adobo

Chicken/Pork Abodo is one filipino dish that taste better the next day. It is easy to prepare so after a busy day at work and I need to prepare something fast for my family, Chicken Adobo is the way to go. Also I make sure that I have some greed salad on the side and the ever loyal steam rice. For our dessert , it could be any seasonal fruits, like right now we have some sweet "manila" mangoes.

Chicken Adobo is not prepared on a regular day or busy day only but you could prepare it too when you have some friends coming over or even bring it when you have a pot luck at work. Most of the time if not often, it is the all the time request from my old job. When the sign up sheet is going around, they will ask me "Are you going to bring Chicken Adobo?" Ofcourse I will say yes, aside from it is easy to make, I know also that it is one of the dish in our pot luck that will be gone right away. It always warm my heart to know that they like my cooking.

There are different ways how to cook it but the ingredients will always stay the same.

Here is the picture just after I cooked it and below is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Chicken (skinless) or pork (cut into desired size)

Vinegar

Soy Sauce

2 Bay Leaves

Pepper

Olive Oil

2 siling labuyo or sprinkle it with a pinch of red pepper flakes

*you could add sugar if desired, it will make a difference if you do.

Procedure:

You could either saute the garlic so your adobo will have like a roasted garlic taste or combine all ingredients except the bay leaves in your cooking pot let it simmer and when almost done add the bay leaves. And when done serve with steam rice,green salad or fresh chopped tomatoes on the side.