Mango Yogurt Shake

 I guess this is everybody’s favourite. If you’re feelin’ the sting of summer -scorching heat while on the beach or even simply just at home, here’s the best shake that’s right for you. Personally, this is my favourite of all time

 

What you need:

 

• 4 mAngoes

• 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt

• 1/3 cup fresh milk

• 2 cups ice

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose cream

• 1 can mandarin oranges drained

What to do:

 

1. Whip the all purpose cream until it doubles in volume. put it in a piping bag then set aside in a ref.
2. Spoon mandarin oranges into glasses.
3. Blend remaining ingredients until mixture is smooth, and creamy, pour into glasses.
4. Top it off with the chilled cream (optional), garnish with orange peel or mint leaf.

 

Chill! enjoy!

 

Thai Shrimp Coconut Soup

This is fully adopted from my favourite blog yummy. I fancy alot of Asian food, this is probably due to the fact that I am Asian and I love anything spicy, exotic and healthy. One of the closest to my heart is the amazing Thai dishes. My one off travel to Thailand way back 2008 had me in awe in deep appreciation of Thai culture, food and traditions. I would love to share this recipe I found while browsing through the website of yummy.

Coconut is something amazing I found long time ago that gives a different tweak on you recipe and this is very common among our lovely folks in “Bicol”, they are so famous with dishes that involves coconut and chili…..oh mouth-watering taste of spicy food.

What do you need:

• 4 cups coconut milk
• 1/4 cup peeled and sliced galangal
• 3 pieces lemongrass, trimmed and pounded
• 3 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 cup fresh oyster mushrooms
• 12 pieces medium shrimp, shelled and deveinedwith tails left on
• sugar and fish sauce to taste
• 1 cup coconut cream
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
• 2 pieces bird’s eye chili (siling labuyo), chopped (optional)

What to do:

1. In a stockpot, combine coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Add oyster mushrooms and shrimp. Season with sugar and fish sauce. Let shrimp cook just until opaque, about 1 minute. Add coconut cream and remove pot from the heat.
3. Stir in lime juice, cilantro, and chili. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 Prep Time 10 minutes Cooking Time 12 to 14 minutes.

Visit: yummy

Food Blog From BreadTalk

July 18 was a very special day for me. I had such an incredible time on that day because it was my son’s birthday who turned eight. Pretty much, my life is composed of raising an active, bright kid whom shall I say made me who I am today. I planned a week before that, thinking of food escapades and movie and roaming around his favourite place. It’s not something luxurious, we just made a little change from our usual zoo, park and beaches. We headed out to a magnificent mall near my work. It’s been a while since we last visited BreadTalk – the best maker of pastries, bread, sweets with all its distinctive flavours!

We did a little sight seeings on those divine bread and sweets before we picked our order.

..And a light more sight seeing…freshly baked ‘hot chic’ on top! Yes that’s what they call it ‘hot chic’ as it is topped with spicy, tasty fibers on top as what they termed as ‘floss’. Uncertain as to why they are made of, but they sure taste like flaked salmon.

You see how long that line was? so many people craves for BreadTalk everyday!

Apart from baked goodies you see left and right, there you also see friendly bakers from outside the glass. They bake visibly to the public and you will know for sure that pastries are being handled well and clean!

..I do think my son has eyed on this..I knew he was going for this one..because he is sometimes redundant..oh such kids – very predictable

Finally he has picked his choice! Yummy!

I have more photos to show from the event – kindly visit my flickr.

Have you had any simple yet interesting food trip with your loved-ones? write me at gracesoy@gmail.com and will pick randomly any of your photos submitted with a little story in it and it will be definitely my next post!

Fruity Mocktail

I simply like fruit juices myself and one of my most informative cook book has delightedly share this mock sangria that even kids would love the refreshing and sweet taste. Go ahead! stir a pitcher!

What you need:

• 2 cups cranberry juice
• 2 cups orange juice
• 1 liter lemon-lime soda
• 1 1/2 cups strawberries (hulled and halved)
• 1 orange (sliced and quartered)

What to do:

1. Stir together cranberry juice, orange juice, lime soda, strawberries and orange.
2. Add ice cubes to the mixture before serving.
3. Dress up each glass with a quartered orange slice.

Makes 10 to 12 glasses or 1 pitcher.

Adapted from Yummy.

Steamed Prawns With Garlic Butter

One of the most visited beach resort in Cebu city is Maribago Bluewater Beach Resort. Can you imagine a white sandy beach with palm trees and friendly staffs? This is I think one of the things you should see in this beautiful city. I know that among other lovely beaches , there are several food escapades that are captivating, animated and tummy-filling.

If you perfectly enjoy  summer outdoors and treating yourselves out to a beach with kids or loved-ones, this is a good perfect beachside snack that I have wholeheartedly adopted from yummy – my ultimate stress reliever recipe magazine. This recipe was featured and shot on location in Maribago.

The aroma, juicy, flavored steamed prawns will surely excite your gastric juices! Enjoy your summer!

What you need:

• 3 large prawns
• 1 small carrot
• 1 small onion
• 1 celery stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon rock salt

For the sauce:

• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• corn oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• salt and white pepper seasoning

What to do:

1. Cut carrot, onion, and celery into pieces and put in the bottom of a steamer with water, bay leaf, and rock salt. Boil for 2 minutes.
2. Butterfuly prawns and place in the steamer until cooked.
3. Make the sauce: Brown garlic in oil, melt butter in a pan, and simmer for a few minutes. Season to taste.
4. Serve steamed prawns topped with garlic-butter sauce.

Serves 1

Use clean bare hands – Buon Appetito!

Lemon-Ginger and Iced Green Tea

I am betting that since it is summer for most of part of this world, more people hanker for a cooler get-away. I am kinda used to monotone weather that mostly goes summery all year round, if not, it’s just rainy season that comes shortly. Oh enough with this weather, I am going to share what I have discovered to help ease the sticky feeling caused by nasty humidity and no, it is not bad to whip up batches all summer long!

What you need:

• 1 lemongrass stalk
• 5 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 5 thin slices of ginger
• 5 bags of green tea
• 2 lemons
• lemongrass for garnish

What to do:

1. Rinse lemongrass stalk, slice into one-inch lengths, and mash.
2. In a pan, bring to a boil cups of water, sugar, ginger and mashed lemongrass.
3. Turn off heat and place bags of green tea; steep for about 5 minutes. Let cool.
4. Pour through a fine strainer into a pitcher. Chill. Add juice of lemons before serving.
5. Pour into ice-filled glasses and garnish with lemongrass stalk.

Makes 6 glasses.

Fresh Unwrapped Spring Rolls

…Or Lumpiang hubad in filipino which literally means “naked spring roll”. I have always been fascinated how spring rolls varies into fried roll, dessert roll and one that consists with thin crepe wrapper or plain fresh rolls served in a plate. You can find various lumpia in my country in every food chain, one of which is Goldilocks, maker of quality tastes of cakes, candies and pastries. Few years back they started serving entrées mainly to serve the growing demands of food lovers. One of my first home-made lumpia that became an instant hit among friends was on my 21st birthday and yes I had to be in goldilocks every other week to achieve the right taste that I wanted for my first lumpia. Fresh lumpia is intriguingly unusual in its taste, this is guaranteed healthy and easy to make. Last year, I was able to come up with my own simplified version of mango spring roll, crispy and deliciously wrapped roll, sprinkled with cinnamon. Go ahead and try this!

What you need:

• 1/2 kilo ubod (heart of palm)
• 1 cup kamote (sweet potato)
• 1 medium carrot
• 1/2 cup singkamas (turnips)
• 1 cup tofu
• 1/2 cup chicharo (peas in a pod)
• 1 cup shrimps (other options: flaked chicken)

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoons cassava flour
• 3 glasses of water
• salt, to taste
• soy sauce, to taste
• brown sugar, to taste

Garnish

• garlic, chopped finely
• peanuts, pounded
• lettuce, cut into strips

What to do:

1. Cut ubod, kamote, carrots, singkamas and tofu into strips. Shell, devein, and mince the shrimps.
2. In a pan, put enough water to cover the ubod. Cover and simmer until tender. Drain and set aside. Fry the following individually and set aside: kamote, ubod, carrots, singkamas, tofu, chicharo and shrimps.
3. To cook the sauce, dissolve cornstarch and cassava flour in three glasses of water. Reheat the pan and return the fried ingredients including the ubod. Season with salt, soy sauce and brown sugar.
4. Pour the starch mixture slowly in the pan. Stir until sauce thickens. Remove from heat.
5. To assemble, pour the lumpia mixture on a plate. Sprinkle with the peanuts and garlic. Arrange the lettuce on top. Serve.

Serves 6 to 8.

…Or Lumpiang hubad in filipino which literally means “naked spring roll”. I have always been fascinated how spring rolls varies into fried roll, dessert roll and one that consists with thin crepe wrapper or plain fresh rolls served in a plate. You can find various lumpia in my country in every food chain, one of which is Goldilocks, maker of quality tastes of cakes, candies and pastries. Few years back they started serving entrées mainly to serve the growing demands of food lovers. One of my first home-made lumpia that became an instant hit among friends was on my 21st birthday and yes I had to be in goldilocks every other week to achieve the right taste that I wanted for my first lumpia. Fresh lumpia is intriguingly unusual in its taste, this is guaranteed healthy and easy to make. Last year, I was able to come up with my own simplified version of mango spring roll, crispy and deliciously wrapped roll, sprinkled with cinnamon. Go ahead and try this!

Vanilla Cupcakes

“I believe cupcakes are one of the most versatile cakes invented on earth. You can dress it up with strawberry, blue berry, chocolates or whatever you have in your mind. All you have to do is to be creative. I would like to share the idea of making the delicious basic cupcakes. This is not difficult as you think, follow the recipe and enjoy!”

What you need:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups cake flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs, separated
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh milk

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a muffin pan with paper cups.
2. Combine flours, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
3. In a mixer with a whisk attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add egg yolks one at a time. Pour in vanilla.
5. At low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.
6. In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and gently fold into the batter.
7. Scoop into muffin pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until center of each cupcake is springy when lightly touched.

Makes 18 pieces. Prep Time 10 to 15 minutes. Baking Time 20 to 25 minutes.

Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancakes)

          Now I know that amongst the best people that makes good food in this multi-verse is the Japanese folks. Not only that they are fresh and exceedingly  healthy and no harm, they are absolutely filling. Filling that sometimes when I eat sushi after long weeks of nothing, It gets a little bit tricky to fit each rolls in my mouth.

          And today, I had a splendid invitation to dine at Sugi with a good friend and they have a very cozy place located in Greenbelt. My eyes immediately feast over lovely food on the menus and end up with scrumptous all prawn tempura, sushi and seafood salad! Lovely night for my stomach and purse.

          For my love of Japanese dish, I pulled this thought of sharing from the book of Marshall Cavendish with you my dear readers, I truly hope you will find this a twist on your usual morning pancakes. Whilst I believe okonomiyaki does, they sometimes refer it as pancake or pizza, but in Osaka (the largest city in the Kansai region), where the dish is said to have originated, okonomiyaki is prepared much like a pancake.

          The stickiness of yamaimo helps to give this classic Japanese pancake its thick shape and robust texture. You can make the batter more substantial and vary its flavour by adding or substituting other shredded or chopped vegetables, such as carrot, sweet corn, leek , and so on…

What you need:

• 100 g (31/2 oz) finely shredded white cabbage
• 2 thinly sliced spring onions (scallions)
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 4 slices streaky bacon
• Japanese dried seaweed flakes (aonori) to taste
• Okonomiyaki or tonkatsu sauce to taste

Batter

• 125 ml (4 fl oz / 1/2 cup)
• 3 tablespoons about 45 g (1 1/2 oz) grated peeled yamaimo
• 60 g (2 oz) sifted cake flour
• 1 egg
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

What to do:

1. Prepare batter. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk into a thick, smooth batter. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Stir cabbage and spring onions into batter until evenly mixed just before cooking.
3. Heat oil in a 20-cm (8-in)  non-sticky frying pan over medium heat. Add cabbage mixture to pan, spreading it out into a thick pancake. Lay bacon strips evenly across pancake, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes or until underside is golden brown.
4. Slide pancake onto a plate and cover with inverted pan, then turn over so plate is inverted and pancake falls back into pan, uncooked side down.
5. Increase heat to medium and fry for 4-5 minutes more or until bacon is browned and cabbage is cooked through.
6. Transfer okonomiyaki to a serving plate, bacon side up. Garnish with seaweed and sauce of choice.  Serve immediately.

Serves 1-2. Preparation time 10 minutes. Cooking time 20 minutes.

 

Lemon Sugar Cookies

          In the video initiated by Oreo, there were few things that suggests how kids can be so clever to find their way and enjoy their cookies …and for the love of cookies, I still get up at night and sneak for a few with my low-fat milk when I am craving. It is one of the things I never grow out with and not surprisingly, my lardon gets the habit.

          One great thing about making your own cookies at home is that the part that you can make anything out of cookie cutters, chocolates and candies. Making them more delicious in both eyes and taste. I know, i know it is hard to achieve a perfect soft, chewy cookies but with practice you will get better of it. If you are a cookie nut and lazy, you might want to take a little jump from your couch to your kitchen and try the basic cookies. The idea is if you love something, you make better of them.

          I thought that getting a nice suggestion from my lardon is a brilliant idea. So weeks before today, he asked me something quite uncanny. I honestly admit there are things I cannot do especially a football cap cookie shape? really now, probably when technology gets better, cookie cutters will have an amazing turn of adapting the notion of making sports pattern. For now, colorful candies and cheap icing will do..

What you need:

• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• Decorative icing and candies

What to do:

1. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg ,  lemon and vanilla extracts, and salt.
2. With a mixer on low-speed, beat in flour in 2 additions until blended.
3. Divide dough into thirds; shape each into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap.
4. Refrigerate until firm enough to roll, about 2 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 350 F. Roll 1 piece of dough at a time, on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling-pin, to 1/4-inch thickness.
6. Cut out desired shapes with cookie cutters; re-roll scraps. Place 1 1/2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
7. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden. Cool on wire racks. Decorate as desired.

Makes: 6 dozen cookies. Prep time: 35 minutes. Chilling time: 2 hours. Baking time : 10 minutes per batch.