Basic Cupcake with Cheese and Bacon

Filipino Style Recipe: Basic Cupcake with Cheese and Bacon is a basic white cupcake that you can frost with your favorite frosting. However, in this recipe, i tried to make a twist by using grated cheese and bacon as topping.

Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 3/4 cup cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 tablespoon Powdered buttermilk
2 eggs at room temperature
2 tablespoon Vanilla
1/4 cup vegetable Oil
1 cup milk

Procedures:
Part 1
1. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer at low speed for about 4 minutes.
2. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and buttermilk. Add to the butter and mix until well blended.
3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and oil and pour to the flour mixture. Mix at low speed until just combined.
4. Still at slow speed, add milk to the butter and mix until just combined. Do not over mix. The batter will be a bit liquid.

Part 2
1. Fill muffin pan with cupcake liners about 1/2 full and bake in preheated oven at 350 Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
2. Remove from oven and top with grated cheese and bacon.You can also opt to frost with your favorite frosting like Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Frosting.

Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Frosting

Filipino Style Recipe: Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Frosting has a thick consistency similar to chocolate chip cookie dough. The sweetness of frosting is balanced by the cream cheese . This can be use to frost any cupcake specially my favorite red velvet cupcake.

Good for 30 cupcakes

Ingredients:
4 ounce (half pack) cream cheese, softened
5 tablespoon butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoon milk, can be adjusted to achieve desired consistency
3 cups confectioner’s sugar, can be adjusted to achieve desired consistency
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Ingredients:
1. In a mixer, cream butter and sugar at medium speed until smooth (around 4 minutes).
2. Add vanilla, flour and brown sugar then continue mixing until well blended.
3. Add the milk and confectioner’s sugar then beat until you reach the desired consistency. It will be a bit thick like a cookie dough. Add milk if you feel it is too thick or add confectioner’s sugar if it is too thin.
4. Fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Frost your cupcakes. You can use a piping bag or just scoop it on top.

Seafood Salpicao

Filipino Style Recipe: Seafood Salpicao is a simple and quick seafood. Usually the seafood like shrimps, squid, mussels, fish fillet, vegetables and herbs cooked together in oyster sauce, and other seasonings.

Estimated time of preparation: 10 minutes
Estimated time of cooking: 15 minutes
Good for 3-5 persons

Ingredients:
1/4 kilo shrimp, cleaned
1/4 squid, cut into rings
1/2 mussels, steamed and removed from shells(optional)
1 onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 thumb-sized ginger, chopped
3 stalks onion leeks, sliced diagonally
2 tablespoons coriander, chopped
1 bell pepper, sliced
80 grams pieces snow peas, trimmed
100 grams young corn, halves
100 grams shiitake mushrooms, sliced
4 tablespoons oyster sauce
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

Procedures:
1. In a wok, heat oil then saute ginger, garlic and onion.
2. Add young corn, mushroom then stir fry for 3 minutes.
3. Pour water and bring to boil then add seafood and simmer for 3 minutes.
4. Add oyster sauce, salt and pepper according to taste.
5. Add snow peas, onion leeks, coriander and bell pepper then cook for another 3 minutes.
6. Transfer to serving plate then garnish with remaining coriander.

Spicy Chicken Paprika

Filipino Style Recipe: Spicy Chicken Paprika is a spicy chicken dish made from fried breaded chicken then tossed to coat in spicy paprika sauce.

Estimated time of preparation: 15 minutes(plus chilling time)
Estimated time of frying: 30-40 minutes.
Good for 3-5 persons

Ingredients:
1 kilo chicken, cleaned and cut into serving pieces
cooking oil for frying

For Breading Mix:
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon salt

For Paprika Sauce:
1 teaspoon paprika pepper
1/2 cup hot sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon ground pepper
2 teaspoon garlic powder

Dipping Sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise
6 cloves garlic, minced

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a bowl, combine flour, paprika, cayenne and salt then mix well.
2. Place and toss chicken with the mixture until evenly coated.
3. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Part 2
1. In a deep frying pan, heat enough oil to cover the chicken entirely.
2. Fry chicken for about 10-15 minutes in medium heat or until color turns to golden brown.
3. Drain and set aside.

Part 3
1. In a sauce pan, melt butter in a low heat then add butter, hot sauce, garlic powder, sugar and pepper. Stir well then turn off the heat.
2. In a large bowl, place the chicken then add sauce and mix until all the chicken coated evenly.
3. Serve immediately with dipping sauce and steamed rice.

Mini Calamansi Cheesecake

Filipino Style Recipe: Mini Calamansi Cheesecake is another thick and soft sweetened dessert made of cream cheese, eggs, sour cream, sugar and calamansi for flavoring. This dessert has a hard biscuit crust made from finely crushed cookies or graham crackers and then baked until firm. This can be served as meryenda or mid-afternoon snack.

Estimated time of preparation: 20 minutes
Estimated time of baking: 25 minutes(plus chilling time)
Good for 6 cupcakes

Ingredients:
Crust:
1/3 cup crushed graham crackers
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
1 pack(8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoon calamansi juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg

Procedures:
Part 1
1. Grease 6-cup muffin pan and line with muffin cups.
2. For the crust, mix together the crushed grahams, sugar and butter in a bowl until well combined. Scoop a mixture and press into the the bottom of each muffin cup.
3. Bake in preheated oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven but keep the oven on.

Part 2
1. For the filling, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, calamansi juice, and vanilla until well blended. Do not over beat. Add egg then mix.
2.Pour the filling into the muffin cups. Bake for 25 minutes without opening the oven. Let it cool completely before removing from pan. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Pata Tim: The Western Way

Filipino Style Recipe: PATA TIM (CHINESE-FLAVORED STEWED PIG’S FRONT HOCK PROCESSED THE WESTERN WAY) Of Chinese origin, PATA TIM has been modified into various presentation, ingredients’ mix and cooking style.

I grew up in a family where one of its variations “Paksiw Na Pata”(Filipinos’ vinegar based stewed hock) was served once a month. Succeeding recipe will NOT make use of “bulaklak ng saging” (banana blossom) but just carrots & shiitake mushroom that Westerners love. This recipe has been adopted by many friends-cooks, adding little tweaks, for their signature secrets.

Pangs (my spouse) and I labored on these 2 dishes: a different “PATA TIM’ & the technologically innovated U.S. BEEF MECHADO, (for next posting) nights before, to serve to our kids and grandkids out on weekend of June 28 & 29 to Subic Bay, Olongapo City, Phils. for their 5i50 triathlon. In mind, well prepared offerings over steamed rice will surely perk their stamina up in time for next day’s arduous match. Try. Your family will love this “DIFFERENT PATA TIM”.

INGREDIENTS:
1 piece fully cleaned pig’s front hock – with still a little of trotters attached but hooves cut off (USA and Canadian front hocks command higher prices than back for they are meatier)

ANTI-FOUL SMELL BOILING SOLUTION:
Enough tap water to cover entire hock in a casserole.
20 ml. any red wine
3 grams salt dissolved well

PRESSURE COOKER SOLUTION:
Enough tap water to cover pre-boiled hock.
40 ml. soy sauce
3 grams salt
20 grams brown sugar
3 grams crushed black pepper
6 cloves crushed garlic
5 pieces star anise
2 pieces sliced “labuyo” (bird’s eye chilies)

OVEN TOASTER’S SEARING MIX:
15 ml. palm oil (or palm olein)
6 cloves crushed garlic, finely chopped

FINAL SAUCE MIX:
200 ml. of left over Pressure Cooker Solution
1 medium carrot sliced
5 pieces sliced shiitake mushrooms soaked in water for 30 minutes
10 grams corn starch dissolved in 30 ml. water (slurry-thickener)
3 grams chili powder (NOT chili pepper powder. Chili powder contains 5 or more spice-herb combination plus salt while Chili Pepper Powder is just the powder presentation of that particular chili pepper).
20 ml. soy sauce
15 grams brown sugar

PROCEDURES:
Part 1
1. Bring to boil your well blended anti-foul smell boiling solution.
2. Once boiling starts, set timer and boil for 20 minutes. Discard water. Set aside hock.

Part 2
1. In pressure cooker, add in ALL ingredients tumble thoroughly until no lumps are evident.
2. Lay pre-boiled hock, cover, attach nozzle and start under medium heat. When whistling starts, pressure cook for 30 minutes.
3. Done…subject pressure cooker to running tap water, when whistling stops slowly remove nozzle-open cooker.
4. Remove hock set aside including pressure cooker solution.

Part 3
1. Rub palm oil of the oven toaster’s searing mix unto all sides of hock. Rub crushed garlic as well. Lay unto toaster pan.
2. Set toaster to high temp, ensuring top heating rod is in fiery-red state, wedge toaster pan in topmost slot for quick searing. Toast for 10 minutes each side.
3. While you are on this searing stage, in a pan, heat the 200 ml. leftover pressure cooker solution.
4. Add in sliced carrots, drained shiitake mushrooms, chili powder, soy sauce and brown sugar. Boil for 2 minutes.
5. While boiling pour in slurry and stirring constantly, continue for few seconds until sauce thickens. Make your desired adjustments on saltiness & sweetness level, should you wish.
6. Lay seared hock unto plate and pour in your sauce. Garnish. Serve. Watch your family’s happy smiles.

Blueberry Cheese Cupcakes

Filipino Style Recipe: Blueberry Cheese Cupcakes is a thick and soft sweetened dessert made of cream cheese, eggs, sour cream and sugar. Pour and spread in hard biscuit crust usually made from finely crushed Oreo cookies or graham crackers and then baked until firm. Topped with blueberry pie filling and chilled before serving.

Estimated time of preparation: 30-40 minutes
Estimated time of baking: 30 minutes(plus chilling time)
Good for 15-18 cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 can blueberry pie filling/topping

Crust:
2 packs Oreo cookies, discard filling, finely crushed
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
3/4 tablespoon sugar

Filling:
3 Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons flour
3/4 tablespoon vanilla
4 raw eggs

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a mixing bowl, combine crushed Oreo, sugar, and butter then mix until well combined.(Mixture should be moist, add more butter if too dry).
2. In a muffin pan, place paper cups then spread and press down the Oreo mixture up to 1/4 inch thick. Let it set for at least 5 minutes.

Part 2
1. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar until well blended.
2. Add sour cream, flour, and vanilla then mix well.
3. Add eggs one at a time, mixing slowly until just blended.
4. Pour and spread the filling evenly into the crust.

Part 3
1. Bake in preheated oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
2. Remove from oven and let it cool then top with blueberry pie filling.
3. Chill for at least 4 hours. Serve.

(thanks Ms. Rochelle for sharing)

Strawberry Graham

Filipino Style Recipe: Strawberry graham is another variety of graham float dessert. It is usually made with a layer of graham crackers, condensed milk, cream, gelatin and strawberries. This dessert is one of the easiest and most favorite dessert of Filipinos specially during Holidays.

Estimated time of preparation: 25 minutes

Ingredients:
250 grams fresh strawberries, halves
2 boxes strawberry flavored gelatin
200 grams graham crackers
50 grams crushed graham crackers
1 big can condensed milk
1 big can all purpose cream

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In large bowl, combine all purpose cream and condensed milk. Mix well and set aside.
2. In a square pan, dissolve strawberry gelatin based on instruction then set aside until firm. Break into small pieces.

Part 2
1. In a rectangular container, arrange a layer of graham cracker then spread a layer of cream mixture.
2. Add a layer of strawberry gelatin and strawberry pieces.
3. Repeat steps up to the desired thickness(3-4 layer of graham crackers).
4. Add a final layer of cream mixture and sprinkle with crushed graham crackers then arrange strawberry pieces on top.
5. Store in refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight. Served cold.

(Thanks to Ms. Rochelle for sharing)

Apple Bread Pudding

Filipino Style Recipe: apple bread pudding is a bread-based dessert popular in many countries including the Philippines. There are several ways to make bread pudding, normally the bread(leftover) break and then soak in milk, egg, sugar and other fruits. Bake for 30 minutes or until the knife comes out clean when inserted. Thanks to citydelivery.ph for delivering my ingredients from Walter Mart.

Estimated time of preparation: 10-12 minutes
Estimated time of cooking: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
6 slices white bread(leftover), break into pieces
1/2 apple, diced
1/2 apple, sliced(optional)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups evaporated milk
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

Procedures:
1. In a 8 inch baking pan, toss bread and apples then drizzle the melted butter.
2. In a bowl, combine beaten eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Mix well.
3. Pour the egg mixture over the bread then push with fork until the bread is fully soaked.
4. Arrange apple slices on top then bake in a preheated oven over 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or until the knife comes out clean when inserted.
5. Remove from oven and let it cool. Slice into serving pieces then serve.

(Thanks to Ms. Rochelle for sharing)

Malunggay and Corn Soup with Shrimps

Filipino Style Recipe: Corn and malunggay soup with shrimps is another easy and simple soup dish that is commonly serve during rainy season. This healthy dish consists of corn, malunggay and shrimps sauteed and cooked in chicken or shrimp broth.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 10-15 minutes
Good for 2-3 servings

Ingredients:
3 gloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chooped
8-10 pieces shrimps, peeled and deveined
1 cup corn kernels
a bunch of malunggay leaves
1 chicken or shrimp bouillon(broth cubes)
3 cups water
fish sauce or salt and pepper to taste

Procedures:
1. In a pot, heat oil then saute garlic and onion.
2. Add corn kernels and shrimps then continue sauteing for 3 minutes.
3. Pour water and bring to boil then add bouillon cube.
4. Adjust seasoning with fish sauce and pepper then add malunggay leaves.
5. Simmer for 1-2 minutes then turn off the heat.
6. Transfer to serving bowl and serve hot.