Cream Cheese Brownies

Ingredients:
4-ounce package German sweet chocolate
5 Tablespoons butter
3-ounce package cream cheese
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon flour
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup nuts, chopped
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Procedure:
1. Melt chocolate with 3 Tablespoons butter over low heat, stirring constantly.
2. Cool.
3. Cream remaining butter with cream cheese until soft.
4. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar.
5. Blend in 1 egg, 1 Tablespoon flour, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
6. Set aside.
7. Beat remaining eggs until thick.
8. Gradually add remaining sugar.
9. Add baking powder, salt, and remaining flour.
10. Blend in cooled chocolate mixture, nuts, almond extract, and remaining vanilla.
11. Measure 1 cup chocolate batter and set aside.
12. Spread remaining chocolate batter in a greased 9-inch square pan.
13. Top with cheese mixture.
14. Drop measured chocolate batter from Tablespoon onto cheese mixture; swirl to marbleize.
15. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.
16. Cool.
17. Cut and store in refrigerator.

Makes 18 squares.

Hungarian Goulash

Ingredients:
2 pounds lean beef or veal, cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons peanut oil (or salad oil)
2 teaspoons butter
2 cups onions, thinly sliced
1-1/2 Tablespoons paprika
1-1/2 Tablespoons flour
1-1/2 cups beer
1/2 cup fresh or canned chicken broth
1 teaspoon Dijon or Duseldorf mustard
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 cup sour cream

Procedure:
1. Season meat with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil and butter in skillet and brown meat on all sides.
3. Transfer meat to heavy casserole.
4. Add onions to skillet and cook, stirring, until wilted, adding more butter if necessary.
5. Stir in paprika and flour.
6. Add beer and chicken broth, then mustard and caraway seeds, and bring to a boil.
7. Add salt to taste and pour mixture over meat.
8. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
9. Just before serving, stir in sour cream.

Serves six people.

Seafood Spaghetti

Ingredients:
8 ounces spaghetti
2 cups tomato juice
1 pound raw shrimp
1-1/2 pounds scallops
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 Tablespoons vinegar
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1/4 cup sherry

Procedure:
1. Cook spaghetti until tender.
2. Drain.
3. Pour tomato juice over it and cook slowly 30 minutes.
4. Stir frequently.
5. Peel shrimp and cover cleaned shrimp and scallops with boiling water seasoned with salt, caraway seeds and vinegar.
6. Cook 20 minutes.
7. Make a cream sauce melting butter and stirring in flour until smooth and bubbly. Add milk and stir.
8. Add drained seafood to sauce, season with sherry and stir in spaghetti-tomato mixture.
9. Transfer to a large baking dish (2 quart), dot with a little butter and broil 4 inches from flame, until surface is brown.
10. Serve hot.

Serves eight people.

Basil Spinach Salad

Ingredients:
6 cups spinach leaves
2 cups fresh basil
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup pine nuts
4 ounces prosciutto, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Procedure:
1. Combine the spinach and basil in a large salad bowl.
2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
3. Add the garlic and pine nuts; mix well.
4. Saute until the pine nuts are brown.
5. Add the prosciutto; mix well.
6. Cook just until heated through, stirring constantly.
7. Pour over the spinach mixture, tossing to coat.
8. Season with the salt and pepper; sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

Serves six people.

How to make Shawarma? I give you the Shawarma recipe.

Ingredients:
Main:
1 1/2 lbs beef, thinly cut
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cardamom pods
1 teaspoon allspice
juice from 1 lemon

Sauce:
1 cup tahini
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons yogurt

Fillings:
8 loaves of pita bread or 4 large
thinly slice cucumbers
thinly sliced onions
1/2 teaspoon sumac
thinly sliced tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

Procedure:
1. Combine all ingredients except for beef, fillings and sauce ingredients.
2. Marinate beef in solution for at least 8 hours.
3. Roast beef, set aside.
4. Combine sauce ingredients and mix well then set aside.
5. Take the onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and sprinkle with sumac.
6. Place enough beef on pita bread together with the vegetables.
7. Add the sauce.

Serves eight people.

Lamb with Rosemary

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound lean stewing lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped, plus liquid
4 ounces fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 cups steamed rice

Procedure:
1. Place flour, salt, and pepper in a large plastic bag.
2. Add lamb, shaking to coat evenly.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
4. Add lamb, reserving flour.
5. Saute 5 to 10 minutes, or until lamb is browned evenly.
6. Add reserved flour and stir to blend.
7. Add tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, bay leaf, rosemary, and 1 Tablespoon parsley.
8. Bring to a boil.
9. Reduce heat to medium-low.
10. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
11. Remove bay leaf.
12. Stir in peas.
13. Cover and let rest 5 minutes.
14. Serve over rice and garnish with remaining 1 Tablespoon parsley.

Serves four people.

Oyster Stew

Ingredients:
1 pint shelled oysters
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped bell pepper
3 Tablespoons flour
5 cups milk
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Procedure:
1. Drain oysters and save liquid.
2. Melt butter.
3. Add onions, celery and bell pepper.
4. Saute until tender.
5. Add flour and stir until smooth.
6. Gradually add milk and oyster liquid.
7. Add salt and pepper.
8. Heat to boiling point.
9. Reduce heat and let cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
10. Add oysters and Worcestershire sauce.
11. Let cook until oysters curl, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Serves twelve people.

Grouper In Pecan Crust

Ingredients:
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1-pound grouper fillet, cut diagonally into 4 pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup butter
Juice of 1 lemon
1 bunch Italian parsley, chopped

Procedure:
1. Process the pecans and bread crumbs in a food processor just until a coarse mixture forms.
2. Season the fillet pieces with salt and pepper.
3. Dredge in the flour; dip in the egg.
4. Coat with the pecan mixture.
5. Melt 1/4 cup of the butter in a nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Saute the fish on 1 side until brown.
7. Turn the fish.
8. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until the fillet pieces flake easily.
9. Remove the fish to a warm platter; wipe the skillet.
10. Add the remaining butter to the skillet.
11. Cook over high heat until the butter is foamy and dark brown, stirring constantly.
12. Add the lemon juice and parsley, stirring until combined.
13. Pour over the grouper.
14. Serve immediately.

Serves four people.

Greek Salad

Ingredients:
3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 cucumber, sliced
1 red onion, sliced into rings
2 green peppers, cut into rings
6 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
1/3 pound feta cheese, crumbled or sliced
2 dozen ripe olives
Dried oregano, crumbled

Procedure:
1. Place tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and pepper in large salad bowl.
2. In a small bottle or jar, shake together oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
3. Pour over salad.
4. Arrange sliced feta cheese and olives on top of salad.
5. Sprinkle with oregano.

Serves four people.

Banana Pudding

Ingredients:
2 cups vanilla wafers
1/4 cup rum
1/4 cup bourbon
1-1/4 cups plus 1 Tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups milk
8 large egg yolks, beaten
2 teaspoons plus 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ripe bananas, sliced
1 cup plus 1/2 cup crumbled chocolate-covered toffee bars
2 cups heavy whipping cream

Procedure:
1. Place vanilla wafers in a shallow bowl and sprinkle with rum and bourbon.
2. Set aside.
3. Combine 1-1/4 cups sugar, flour, salt, milk, egg yolks, and 2 teaspoons vanilla in top of a double boiler.
4. Place over simmering water. Do not let water boil or touch bottom of top pan.
5. Stir continuously until thick enough to heavily coat back of a metal spoon.
6. Place top of double boiler in a bowl of ice water.
7. Stir about 5 minutes to stop the cooking.
8. Layer half of vanilla wafers, half of bananas, half of custard and 1/2 cup crumbled toffee bars in an 8 by 12-inch glass baking dish.
9. Repeat layers.
10. Whip cream, 1 Tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
11. Spread whipped cream over pudding.
12. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup crumbled toffee bars over top.
13. Refrigerate before serving.

Serves twelve people.

Lemon Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:
1/4 cup oil
1 broiler or fryer, cut up, or chicken pieces
Flour to coat chicken pieces
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, mashed
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 Tablespoons chopped onion
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Procedure:
1. Pour 1/4 cup oil into 9x13x2-inch pyrex baking dish.
2. Flour and salt chicken pieces and place the pieces, skin side down, in a single layer.
3. Bake 30 minutes at 400 degrees.
4. Turn chicken and pour sauce over chicken.
5. To make sauce, use the 1/4 cup olive oil and add all other ingredients to it.
6. Bake another 30 minutes.

Serves six people.

Easy Eggs Creole

Ingredients:
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 green peppers, finely chopped
2 cups celery, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons butter
1 can mushrooms, drained
1 can tomatoes, drained
2 Tablespoons flour
8 eggs, hard-boiled and sliced

White Sauce:
4 Tablespoons flour
2 cups milk, divided
4 Tablespoons butter
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese

Procedure:
1. Saute onions, green peppers, and celery in butter.
2. Add mushrooms and tomatoes.
3. Add flour, and stir until thickened.
4. Arrange mixture alternately with sliced hard-boiled eggs in a baking dish.
5. Set aside.

White Sauce:
1. In a jar, mix flour and 1/2 cup milk.
2. In a saucepan, heat butter and remaining milk until butter is melted.
3. Stir in flour mixture, and cook over medium heat until thickened.
4. Pour white sauce over top of eggs and sprinkle with Cheddar cheese.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

Serves eight people.

Ham Cream Cheese Puff

Ingredients:
1/2 pound cream cheese
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Salt
1 teaspoon fresh onion juice
1 egg yolk
Cayenne pepper to taste
2-1/4 ounce deviled ham
3 to 4 drops Worcestershire
Dash of Tabasco
24 small bread rounds

Procedure:
1. Mix cheese, baking powder, salt, onion juice, egg yolk, and cayenne.
2. In separate dish mix ham, Worcestershire, and Tabasco.
3. Toast bread rounds on one side.
4. Spread untoasted side with ham mixture; cover with a mound of cheese mixture.
5. Place on cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes at 375 degrees or until brown.
6. These can be prepared a few hours before baking.

Serves 8 people.

Exotic Mushroom Soup

If you enjoyed cooking my easy mushroom soup, then you'll also enjoy this one.

Ingredients:
2 medium shallots, minced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
8 ounces fresh cremini mushrooms, sliced
8 ounces fresh button mushrooms, sliced
1 Tablespoon flour
1/3 cup vermouth
2 cups beef stock
1/2 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

Procedure:
1. Saute the shallots in the olive oil and butter in a saucepan until tender.
2. Add the mushrooms; mix well.
3. Saute until the mushrooms are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
4. Sprinkle with the flour.
5. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until mixed, stirring constantly.
6. Stir in the vermouth.
7. Add the beef stock, water, salt and pepper; mix well.
8. Simmer for 30 minutes.
9. Stir in the rosemary.
10. Ladle into soup bowls.
11. Top each serving with sour cream, parsley and almonds.

Serves four people.

Simple Lemon Squares

Ingredients:
Crust:
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups sifted flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups granulated sugar
4 Tablespoons sifted flour
5 Tablespoons lemon juice
1-1/2 Tablespoons grated lemon rind

Procedure:
Crust:
1. Mix ingredients and pat into bottom of 13x9-inch baking pan.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Topping:
1. Mix above ingredients and pour on top of baked crust.
2. Put back into 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes.
3. When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into squares.

Makes 24 small lemon squares. Simple right?

Orange Chicken With Basil

Ingredients:
8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/3 cup orange juice
3 Tablespoons canola oil
3 Tablespoons honey
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Procedure:
1. Rinse the chicken and pat dry.
2. Place in a sealable plastic food storage bag.
3. Pour a mixture of the orange juice, canola oil, honey and basil over the chicken, tossing to coat.
4. Seal tightly.
5. Marinate in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours, tossing occasionally.
6. Drain, reserving the marinade.
7. Brown the chicken on both sides in the vegetable oil in a skillet; drain.
8. Arrange the chicken in a glass baking dish.
9. Pour the reserved marinade over the chicken.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until tender.
11. Serve hot or cold.

Serves eight people.

Puto Bumbong

Ingredients:
5 kilos malagkit / galapong or glutinous rice
1 cup ordinary rice
1 tablespoon of lilac / purple / violet food color
1 kilo shredded mature coconut / niyog
margarine
sugar

Procedure:
1. Mix the glutinous rice, ordinary rice and food coloring.
2. Soak it in water for four hours.
3. Slowly grind using a stone or manual grinder. Do not to put too much water while grinding so the mixture will not become too sticky.
4. Put everything on cotton cloth. Tie the corners of the cloth and let it drip until all excess water is removed.
5. Let stand overnight.
6. The next day, mix and crush the ingredients using your hand.
7. Boil some water in a steamer. Cover it with the custom-made puto bumbong cooker.
8. Grease the cylinders with margarine then half-fill them with the milled ingredients.
9. Cover the other end of the cylinder with cotton cloth and fit the opposite end into the nozzle.
10. Steam will come out of the cylinder when the puto bumbong is cooked.
11. Before removing the puto bumbong from the cylinder, invert the cylinder to ensure proper cooking.
12. To remove the puto bumbong from the cylinder, hold it in a vertical position and gently tap it out over a plate. Put the sugar and freshly grated coconut as toppings.

Serves ten people.

Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients:
8 large tomatoes
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
10 ounces chopped spinach
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 egg yolks, beaten
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
2/3 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup almonds, toasted and slivered
Salt and pepper

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Wash tomatoes, remove tops and scrape out pulp.
3. Salt cavity of tomatoes and turn upside down to drain for 30 minutes.
4. In a saute pan over medium heat, cook onions in oil for 20 minutes or until softened.
5. Add spinach to onions and stir until heated through.
6. Remove from heat and set aside.
7. In a mixing bowl, beat together ricotta cheese and egg yolks.
8. Add parsley, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and slivered almonds.
9. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Stir in sauteed onion and spinach mixture and blend until all ingredients are well combined.
11. Fill tomatoes with mixture and place stuffed tomatoes in a shallow, greased baking dish.
12. Sprinkle tops of stuffing with additional Parmesan cheese and place in 350-degree oven.
13. Bake for 20 minutes or until tops are brown.

Serves eight people.

Siopao Adobo

Ingredients:
Filling:
leftover adobo, potatoes and bones removed
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoons sugar

Dough:
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons salad oil
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Procedure:
Filling:
1. In a saucepan, heat the cider vinegar.
2. Add the sugar, stir until sugar is dissolved.
3. Add the leftover adobo.
4. Mix well and let cook for a few minutes until liquid is reduced and thickened.
5. Set aside to cool while you make the dough.

Dough:
1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water.
2. Blend in sugar, oil, and salt.
3. Let stand in a warm place for 15 minutes.
4. Add 3 1/4 cups of flour and mix until dough holds together.
5. Place dough on a lightly floured board and knead for 10 minutes.
6. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1.5 hours.
7. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead for 1 minute.
8. Shape into a rectangle.
9. Cut rectangle in half lengthwise.
10. Cut crosswise 6 times to make 12 equal pieces.
11. Roll each piece into a round about 4 inches in diameter.
12. Place about 1 tablespoons of filling in the center of each round and pull edges of dough up around the filling and twist to seal.
13. Place each bun, sealed side down on a 3-inch square of wax paper.
14. Let buns rise for another 30 minutes.
15. Place in a steamer and let it steam for 12 to 15 minutes.

Yields 12 siopao buns.

Baked Italian Sausage

Ingredients:
5 cups cubed day-old bread
4 links Italian sausage, casings removed, browned, and crumbled
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, oil reserved
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
6 ounces cheese, shredded (1 to 1-1/2 cups)
6 large eggs
1-1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Procedure:
1. Spray a 9-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Sprinkle bread cubes in casserole.
3. Sprinkle sausage evenly over bread cubes.
4. Pour 1 Tablespoon reserved sun-dried tomato oil into skillet.
5. Add onions and saute until tender.
6. Add tomatoes and rosemary, stirring until blended.
7. Place onion mixture over sausage.
8. Cover with cheese.
9. Whisk eggs, milk, salt, pepper, dry mustard, and nutmeg in a medium bowl until well blended.
10. Pour egg mixture over casserole.
11. Cover.
12. Refrigerate 8 to 10 hours or overnight.
13. Bring to room temperature before baking.
14. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
15. Bake 30 to 45 minutes, or until set.

Serves 6 people.

Kinilaw Na Isda | Tuna Kilawin

Ingredients:
1 kilo tuna cut into cubes
1 cup of gata ng niyog or coconut cream
1 cup calamansi juice
3 cups vinegar
4 onion heads, chopped
8 medium ginger, sliced
2 head garlic, minced
2 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
2 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
6 chili peppers
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Season tuna with salt and pepper.
2. Pour vinegar and put inside ref for 4 hours.
3. Drain.
4. Mix in onions, garlic, ginger, bell pepper, chili pepper, onions and calamansi juice.
5. Add the coconut cream.
6. Serve chilled.

Serves 4 people.

Baked Flounder

Ingredients:
4 small flounder
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon onion, chopped
3 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 pound small mushroom caps
Bread crumbs
Lemon slices

Procedure:
1. Prepare the flounder by removing the skin only.
2. Put butter in large shallow oven-proof platter.
3. Place the flounder on platter and spread with onions and parsley.
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Moisten flounder with wine and mushroom caps.
6. Cover with bread crumbs, dot with butter.
7. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
8. Serve with lemon slices.

Serves four people.