Crab Meat Aglio Olio

Filipino Style Recipe: Crab Meat Aglio Olio is another variety of traditional Italian pasta dish. This dish is made of sauteed garlic in olive oil, chili flakes, crab meat and basil then toss in spaghetti pasta. Aglio olio is usually serve as meryenda(mid-afternoon snack) or in any special occasion.

Estimated time of preparation: 10 minutes
Estimated time of cooking: 6-8 minutes
Good for 3-4 persons

Ingredients:
400 grams spaghetti pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
8 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
200 grams crab meat or crab sticks, cut into thin slices
1/4 teaspoon dried chili flakes(optional)
1/4 cup white wine
10 leaves basil, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
grated Parmesan cheese

Procedures:
Part 1
1. In a large pot, prepare pasta based on cooking instructions. Drain and set aside.

Part 2
1. In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil then saute garlic, chili flakes until light brown.
2. Add crab stick and then stir cook for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper according to taste.
3. Add white wine and simmer for 2-3 minutes or until sauce reduce in half.
4. Add remaining olive oil, pasta and basil then toss until coat evenly.
5. Transfer to serving plate, top with Parmesan cheese and garnish with basil leaves. Serve.

Chili Cheese Sticks(Dynamite)

Filipino Style Recipe: Chili cheese sticks AKA dynamite is a simple and popular cheese sticks in Bacolod. Chili cheese stick is made of finger chili(siling haba) stuffed with cheese strips then wrapped in spring roll wrapper, deep fried until golden brown and crisp and served with your favorite dipping sauce.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients:
20 pieces finger chili(siling haba)
1 block cheddar cheese , sliced into small strips
Spring rolls or lumpia wrappers
cooking oil for deep frying

Procedures:
Part 1
1. Using a sharp knife, slit each chili vertical cut then scrape out the seeds. Rinse and drain.
2. Stuff the chili with cheese then wrap and roll the wrapper, use a bit of water to seal the edges.

Part 2
1. In a frying pan, heat enough oil then deep fry the rolls for 2-3 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
2. Drain on paper towel then serve with preferred dressing.

Notes:
1. You may also add strips of ham together with cheese if you prefer.

Banana Chocolate Pops

Filipino Style Recipe: Banana Chocolate Pops is an easy and sweet and healthy frozen dessert. This dessert has a sweet flavor of frozen banana coated with melted chocolate and rolled in sprinkles. Making this dessert with your kids is a fun way and they will surely love it.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 10-15 minutes(plus chilling time)
Good for 6 Pops

Ingredients:
3 large bananas, peeled and cut in half
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 bamboo or popsicle sticks
1/4 cup choice of sprinkles(rice crispy, crushed nuts, chocolate sprinkles, rainbow sprinkles)

Procedures:
1. Skew each banana on bamboo sticks and wrap with plastic wrap then freeze for an hour.
2. In a sauce pan, heat oil olive then melt chocolate chips.
3. Dip bananas in the melted chocolate until completely covered then decorate with the desired sprinkles.
4. Set aside for a minute then place in a freezer for an hour before serving. Enjoy.

Notes:
1. You may also melt chocolate using microwave oven.
2. You may use cocoa powder and sugar dissolve in water if chocolate chips is not available.

Cheese Stick

Filipino Style Recipe: cheese stick is another simple and easy Filipino meryenda(mid-afternoon snack) that is commonly sold along the streets. Cheese stick is made of cheese strips wrapped in spring roll wrapper then deep fried until golden brown. Then served with your favorite dipping sauce.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients:
1 block cheddar cheese (I Used PROCHIZ Gold) , sliced into small strips
1 pack spring roll wrapper
1 cup cooking oil
mayonnaise & ketchup for dipping sauce
powdered cheese(optional)

Procedures:
Part 1
1. Wrap the cheese in a wrapper, sealed the edges with water.

Part 2
1. In a frying pan, heat oil then deep fried cheese sticks for 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towel
2. In a container, add powdered cheese and fried cheese sticks then cover and shake until coat evenly.
3. Serve with mayo-ketchup dip.