Baked Mussels

 

Since it's Holyweek (seafood only diet), My husband came home from work early morning with Mussels or Tahong for me to cook. Thing is, I've never cooked it before, and have no idea how to.

I immediately googled "how-to's" and asked for help from my facebook friends.

Decided to make Baked Tahong. The one like I used to eat in San Mig Pub when I was little (although in San Mig it's clams not mussels). It was the perfect one to do coz most stores are closed today and I had to make do with what is here. Although I did have to buy butter and cheese in 711. Luckily I had garlic and/or garlic powder here.

So here's how I did it:

Ingredients
•1 kilo mussels
•Half a bar of butter
•Garlic powder or finely chopped garlic
•quickmelt cheese


I soaked the mussels in water for hours (from 8am til about 11). Occasionally changing the water.



I then pulled out all the hair (or whatever you call it) that I can see.

I put the mussels in a pot of water and boiled til it opened (Surprisingly didn't take a long time).

I strained the water out and took out the other shell of the tahong. Making it like "open-faced".

I made my butter-garlic sauce. Melted butter (I used more or less half a bar for a kilo of mussels). Melted the butter by hand. I mixed in some garlic powder to the butter. In another batch, instead of garlic powder, I used fresh finely chopped garlic instead (coz I ran out of the powder).

I put the butter-garlic sauce on the shell bed. Then I put a small slice of quickmelt cheese on top. (I was thinking of grating the cheese at first, but changed my mind coz wanted it to be thicker)



Now off to the oven!
I used my electric oven coz the batch I tried cooking in my gas oven didn't come out as I wanted. Some overcooked, some just right (di pantay yung heat niya).
Anyway, I turn the dial to the highest heat and just peeked through the glass to see if the cheese are browned and melted perfectly. Probably around 10-15mins.

Then slurp away! Best as pulutan!

Special thanks to my mom who saw my first batch and said it needed to be cooked some more. She was right! It's much better if the cheese is a little browned on top.

This was my first batch, but had to put it back in the oven coz needed to be cooked more.

 


Ciao!

Til my next Kitchen Adventure!

Spicy Chicken Wings

When I was new to living with my Hubby and cooking for our family, I didn't know much. All I knew was frying delata food, and tinola!

An unexpected friend (my husband's ex, would you believe, I'm friendly like that) helped me by sharing a couple of her recipes!

Here's one of her recipes (hope she won't mind me sharing this haha). My husband's fave:


Spicy Chicken Wings



Ingredients:


•chicken wings
• knorr seasoning
•onion
•ufc ketchup
•hotsauce

Marinade the wings in Knorr Seasoning and onions overnight.

Fry wings in oil then set aside.

Fry again the wings in a new pan (without oil) then add ufc ketchup and hotsauce (just a little, for a kick). And mix for about a minute or two. Until the ketchup and hotsauce sticks and covers the wings.

*How much ketchup you ask? Well I just put enough to cover up the wings when I mix it together. Depends really on how "saucy" you want it to be.

That's it!

Super easy and yummy!


I actually do this with hotdog back then. Recipe for the Spicy hotdog soon! Although it's kind of the same anyway.

'til my next post!
Happy cooking!

Squash Soup

I used to love eating at my ex's house when his mom cooked my fave Squashroom soup (I guess squash and mushroom soup). I've been craving it for a long time already but couldn't get a hold of a recipe. I googled but all that came up was plain Squash soup. I thought I'd give it a try and turned out to be yum!


Ingredients:


•Squash (maybe 1-2cups? Suck at measuring, just see pic for reference.lol)
•1 white onion
•knorr cube (i used pork, but can use any)
•nestle all purpose cream
•water 1 cup
•ground black pepper
•cumin powder
•cayenne pepper (optional)


Cut kalabasa into cubes. Chop onion. Put them both into the pan with water (just enough water to submerge them)and boil til kalabasas are soft.
When soft, put all into blender, and blend til no more lumps.
Put back into pan and heat in low-med heat. Mix in cream. You can add more water to get the consistency you like (but I didn't add this time).
Add the pork cube, a few pinches of cumin powder, dash of pepper and a dash of cayenne pepper for some kick.
Serve.




BTW, I tried using campbell's mushroom soup instead of cream before but it taste nothing like the squashroom soup I used to eat. But tastes good, if you guys want to try that too.

Anyway, This has been one of our staple dishes at home. Even my two boys love it. Goes best with pan fried porkchops  or pork tapa.

Garlicky Pork Tenderloin

My mom makes the yummiest Salpicao. This is more or less how she makes it except she uses real garlic. I use garlic powder, coz I'm lazy like that. Lol


Ingredients:



500grams pork tenderloin
5 tbsp knorr seasoning
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/4 tbsp black pepper
1/4 cup star margarine garlic flavor (I used regular butter and mixed in some garlic powder)




1. Marinade the pork in knorr, worcestershire and pepper for 5 minutes.

2. Drain meat. Reserve the marinade.

3. Fry meat in garlic butter until golden brown.

4. Add in marinade and cook for one more minute.

Done!




So easy, right? :)

Pinterest's Famous Microwave Brownie

Been browsing through Pinterest for quite some time now. Everytime I do, I get so productive and energized. I think Pinterest is good for me.

So this morning, I finally decided to make this Microwave Brownie in a Mug I keep on seeing on my Pinterest Board. I had all the ingredients here at home, so why not.



It's a 2 minute brownie. 1 minute for prep time and 1 minute to cook (in the microwave).

Ingredients:
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar (I used white though, coz that's what I had here).
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of Salt
2 tbsp Canola oil
2 tbsp Coffee, milk or water (I used water coz was too lazy to make coffee. Maybe next time I will try).

In a heatproof mug, stir all dry ingredients until fully mixed together.
Stir in oil and milk/coffee or water until you have a thick paste.
Put in microwave and heat for 1 minute. They say the heat of the microwave vary so maybe if you like you can check after 30secs if you suspect that you have a higher temp microwave.

It turns out a little gooey in the middle, but I like my brownie that way.

I actually accidentally put in too much cocoa in mine. But still yummy, a little rich because of the excess cocoa I put. Next time gotta remember to do it right so it'll be yummier.

Hmm, I think this is bad for my diet. Therefore, Pinterest may not be totally good for me! Haha!

Til next post!

Ciao!

No Meat Monggo

My lazy style Munggo.



Ingredients:

1.) Munggo

2.) onion

3.) garlic

4.) tomato

5.) salt and pepper

6.) malunggay leaves

7.) pork cubes


First, I wash and boil the Munggo.
As soon as I put it in stove, I gisa my onion, garlic, tomato. Then, put it in the boiling Munggo. I put one knorr pork cube. Wait for munggo to be cooked. Then add malunggay leaves. Salt and pepper to taste


Til the next kitchen diaries...

Crispy Fried Chicken

First post to my "Kitchen Diaries" page.

I've decided to document my kitchen adventures because I am not so good at it haha! And I kinda want to see my progress.

So I've made my Crispy Fried Chicken also known as Everyone's favorite.

Ingredients:
Chicken Drumsticks
Rock Salt
All-Purpose Flour
Garlic Powder
Iodized Salt
Pepper

*I don't know the exact measurements coz I don't measure. I just put.

First, I season the chicken with a little salt.
Let it stand for 15-30mins.
Then, I mix together the All purpose flour, garlic powder, iodize salt and pepper into a bowl.
I then put the chicken one at a time in the bowl, to coat it with the batter.
Then, deepfry it in lowfire.

In the picture, the chicken was kinda overcooked. Coz I am afraid of blood in chicken! I absolutely hate it when I still see even a small amount of blood.

But all in all, I am still happy with the outcome (this is great coming from someone who once cooked hotdogs burnt on the outside,cold inside. I also f*cked up instant knorr Nido soup one time).

My family loved it, that's good enough for me ;)

Btw, any other tips in cooking fried chicken?