Brazo de Mercedes

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This dessert is one of my favorites. I used to buy this in our local bakery back in my hometown. What I love here is the sweetness of the custard-like filling.

Two weeks ago, I saw recipe of this sweet dessert (thanks to Rural Mom Kristine for sharing the recipe). The ingredients are easy to find and the steps are very easy to follow so I made my own too.

Here's what I did:

Brazo de Mercedes

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Kitchen Improvement Plan

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Two weeks ago, Mommy and I had a major clean-up in our kitchen. We tried to keep it more organized by separating the things I used in cooking and baking from the common tools I used in the kitchen.

We also disposed some items that are not used anymore like the old sippy cups and feeding tools of Matthew when he was still a “baby”. Though most of it are still in good condition and can be used by other, we decided to put it in disposal and wait for the magbo-bote.

Source: OVIS

One area in the kitchen that has a lot of unused space is the cabinet under the counter and sink. This space is only used to store laundry tools, like detergent and bleach. I am thinking furnish the area so it will be use as additional storage area for kitchen utensils. Also, I want to put pull out drawers where plates and dining utensils can be kept. This will make the counter-top more spacious. 

The space under the sink can be used to place a pull out waste container instead of placing trash can in an  obvious area in the kitchen area.

I hope I can make this project soon to add more fun working on my favorite "laboratory".

Do you have home improvement plans too?

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Bok Choi, Shitake Mushroom and Tokwa in Oyster Sauce

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One of the foods that caught my attention in one of the seminars I attended is this bok choi with shitake mushrooms with sauce. I forgot to note the name so I cannot search in the internet a particular recipe for it.

Last week, I tried making a copycat of the said dish but I added tokwa or tofu for a change.

One dilemma for me is how to make the sauce. Relying on what I remember about the taste, I can taste the presence of oyster sauce and the finished product is almost the same.

Here it is:

Bok Choi and Shitake Mushroom in Oyster Sauce

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Two Beautiful Years of Crocheting and Counting

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Last September, our crocheting business has turned two. I actually can't remember when was the exact date we started to accept crochet made to orders. But based on the photo uploaded on Momaye's Shoppe, the very first photo we uploaded under MTO album was on September 21, 2012.

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Tochong Bangus

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Before the end of the week, Mommy and I were already planning what will be our menu for the following week. This will not only save you time in buying what you need in market but will also save you a bit of money since you will only buy what is needed in the menu list.

However, there are some problems doing this, you need to think a different dish every week ensuring that no same dish is made in the same week or even better, two consecutive weeks. Imagine:

7 days a week x 3 meals a day = at least 21 different dishes every week

One of the sites that I can get an easy, simple and budget-friendly recipes is Del Monte Kitchenomics where I found the recipe of Tochong Tilapia. Instead of using tilapia, I replaced it with bangus (milk fish)

Tochong Bangus

"Tocho is a Filipino dish that usually comes in either a black beans sauce base or a fermented bean curd base or both." (Source: Astig Vegan)

TOCHONG BANGUS

You will need:

 4-6 slices of Bangus

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup tausi (black beans)

250 grams tokwa or tofu, cut into cubes

1 medium-sized onion, chopped

4-6 gloves garlic, minced

1 thumb-sized ginger, julienned
1 stalk celery, julienned

1/2 cup tomato sauce

oil for frying

salt and pepper to taste

Here’s how to do it:

1. Roll the bangus in a mixture of all-purpose flour, cornstarch and 1 tsp of salt.

2. Fry until both sides turned golden brown. Set aside.

3. In a saucepan, saute onion, garlic and ginger.

4. And tausi or black beans.

5. Pour about 2 cups of water and bring to boil.

6. Add tomato sauce and simmer for about a minute.

7. Drop in cubed tokwa, celery stalks and bring back the fried bangus.

8. Simmer for another 2-4 minutes.

9. Serve with steamed rice.

Tip/s: If your tokwa or tofu is too soft, soak it first in hot water for about 5 minutes. This will make the tokwa or tofu firm and easy to slice.

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Ginataang Ampalaya Recipe

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Bored of the usual dish you can do with ampalaya or bitter gourd? Here is an experimental dish I made few weeks ago.

Actually, I only heard this recipe featured in Healing Galing Radio Program one Sunday. Instead of using tinapa flakes, I used pork chicharon and dilis.

Ginataang Ampalaya

GINATAANG AMPLAYA

You will need:

2-3 pieces large Ampalaya, sliced to about 1/2" inch thick, soaked in salt water (1 litter of water with 1/4 cup of salt)  for about 30 minutes

1 cup coconut milk, first extract
1 cup coconut milk, second extract
1 cup dried anchovies or dilis
1 pack (about 50 grams) pork chicharon
1 cup malunggay leaves
1-2 pieces siling pansigang
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
4 gloves garlic, minced
salt to taste

Here's how to do it:

1. Saute onion, garlic and dried dilis in oil.
2. Add the second extract coconut milk and bring to boil.
3. Once started boiling, lower the heat and add amplaya and pork chicharon.
4. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until ampalaya is tender.
5. Add the first extract coconut milk and simmer until liquid is reduced to half.
6. Drop in malunggay leaves and siling pansigang.
7. Continue cooking for about 3-5 minutes.
8. Serve with rice. 

Tip/s:

1. Soaking ampalaya in salt water helps eliminate or reduce its bitterness.

2. You can also blanch ampalaya instead of soaking in salt water.

3. Choose the right quality of amplaya that is less bitter.  

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