From My Kitchen and Beyond

The Tomato Pasta Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:08:00 +0000

I cooked this tomato pasta dish, because something happened. Nothing really serious or important. I was with my husband and kids when we decided to have a quick snack in a small restaurant in SM Cubao. This dish accidentally landed on our table, because we originally ordered beef and mushroom and they served us with this pasta plate. Lucky for the manager and the rest of the crew because I was in a happy mood, so I didn't mind if they served us the wrong meal. I kinda find the restaurant version of this tomato pasta dish a bit bland and obviously, well I thought that there was something missing.

I got a little challnge from my husband and asked me: "what can you do to make this pasta more delicious and more enticing?".
As a foodie, when I don't get satisfaction from certain dishes, I make sure that I will alot time on making the dish myself. Resulting to a more refreshing and satisfying grub both for the palate and the mind. This is not my first time to prepare this simple but amazing pasta dish. With this scrumptious plate you see, adjustments were made, improved a lot of things. Like adding more mushrooms and fresh tomatoes and balancing the mix of flavors coming from the garlic and tomatoes was the challenging part.

1. Instead of chicken balls, I used fresh shrimps.

2. Lots of fresh red tomatoes and less canned crushed tomatoes.

3. Since the sauce is based on fresh ingredients, I added button mushrooms for more texture and to hold the sauce and the pasta together.

4. Olive oil and garlic--- key ingredients to a good pasta dish.

5. Fresh or dried basil will rock it.

Raintree My Special Milk Tea

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:43:00 +0000

Lately, milk tea shops has been sprouting everywhere. Milk tea is nothing new to us. Especially for my husband, the only person in my family who loves milk tea and make that sugarfree. Raintree Teapresso Blends is located along Katipunan Avenue, St. Ignatius Village. If you're taking White Plains, coming from Corinthian Hills, before the Boni Serrano- Katipunan Avenue intersection, you'll find Raintree on the left side. We've been passing by Raintree eversince but we never really tried to set time for a quick visit until... one Monday morning, my husband was in the mood to have some milk tea. I immediately suggested that we check the newly opened restaurant. It was a quick 5 min. drive from our house and the moment we got there, I was smiling from ear to ear, I fell in love with the set up and feel of the place in an instant and I haven't seen their menu yet.

To make my story more interesting... personally, I am not a milk tea lover and I am very particular with this drink. In my previous posts, I even shared that I don't like the taste of tea and milk combined. But I still gave it a try, I ordered a tall glass from a famous milk tea shop, but... nahh... it wasn't that good.

But believe me, after tasting Raintree's Specialtea, things changed. Thanks to my husband by the way. In a span of 1 month, I've already consumed 2 VIP cards from Raintree. For every order, they will sign or put a stamp on the card and after your 10th drink, you'll get a free 16oz. pearl milk tea.

Take this entry as an opener because more blogs about Raintree are going to be posted.

Whenever I am in a new restaurant or anything I haven't tried or anywhere I haven't been to, once I get to make a stop in that place, I make sure to try what they call "the house specialty". That Monday morning, since we were in the mood for some milk tea, as "the house specialty", I decided to go for Raintree's specialtea or simply: Raintree Specialtea Note: with extra pearls or coffee jelly

22oz. Raintree Specialtea and Almond Joy (php100)

22 oz.Taro and Belgian Chocolate (php95)

Our favorite milk teas goes around these 4 flavors. Raintree Specialtea, Almond Joy, Taro and Belgian Choccolate. Raintree's pearl milk tea is composed of freshly brewed tea and non-dairy milk which makes it the perfect drink for someone who is lactose intolerant. Served with pearls and sugar level will depend on the customer's request
.

Levels of Sweetness: no sugar, 1/4 sugar, 1/2 sugar, 3/4 sugar, normal sugar.

22oz. Moroccan Mint (php95)

Uniquely flavored. It stands out. Best with coffee jelly.

Coming out of the box, getting off my comfort zone, I was able to enjoy another extraordinary drink. Considering that I love anything with mint, Moroccan Mint tea was the next best choice for me. Wanting something different, I think I made the right pick. It doesn't end here though, more drinks and even pastries and cakes are bound to be tasted, so stay tuned.

Franky's Young Chefs Academy Experience

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 07:17:00 +0000

My son Franky, as he matures he is also developing his interest in cooking and helping me around the kitchen. He helps me with the chopping, sauteing and even with setting up the dining table. By the way, he uses a bread knife to cut simple vegetables. He knows the basic rule before handling food, which is handwashing. The nice part of this growing enthusiasm of his is the fact that his values are also being practiced. Being helpful, he waits for his turn, he's never a picky eater. A few months back, my son's school arranged a trip to the CCA Kitchen at the Eastwood Mall. I got really excited for him, since Culinary Arts has been an interest of mine since I was a kid. This experience of Franky was very rare especially for a school activity.

At the Young Chefs Academy, Franky experienced baking his own chocolate cupcakes, bread and other pastries. It was a bit disappoiting when I found out that parents and guardians were not allowed to accompany the child. So I waited the whole day, feeling excited to taste my son's first baked goodies.

Franky took home some of the cupcakes and bread he made. Along with the package are the recipes the children used for their baking session. Immediately, my son asked me if we can bake some. Of course we can, it's just that we still need to buy baking materials such as muffins molders, baking sheets and new mixing bowls. But as soon as we're all set with everything needed, I bet our kitchen's going to be open 24/ 7. I'm looking at enrolling my son at the Young Chefs Academy for summer. He really loves to cook. He told me that he wants to become the person wearing a tall white hat, a chef's hat!

ARMY NAVY My Burrito Stop

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 07:35:00 +0000

After dropping off my son in school this morning, I decided to grab some burritos. After the holidays, and being stuck at home recuperating... I thought... let me start the year right, a post worth as an opener for the new year. I have been raving about my favorite burrito stop. ARMY NAVY. It's been one after another shoutout, especially on facebook.

Check: ARMYNAVY Graces Us With A New Branch

I don't know, there's something about our location that makes me a happy eater. The recent addition to the line of restaurants that surrounds us is ARMY NAVY. I remember traveling as far as Ortigas just to be able to get a taste of their wonderful burrito in the middle of the night. Having a branch minutes away from my house is something I am very grateful for.

I first tried ARMY NAVY in Glorietta 5. We had a meeting with some friends and my husband suggested that I try their all-day breakfast. Later on, I end up loving their chicken burrito more than anything else.

The recent addition to my list of favorites is their
Chicken Quesadilla (php 145)

A Double Burger (php195) is recommended for those starving for bugers. But don't forget, Bully Boy Burger (php250)is another worthy buy for the more adventurous foodies out there.

Fearless Fried Chicken (php145)

quarter drumstick thigh served with rice and pepper gravy

Chicken (php145), Steak (php165), Carnitas (pork php165), Vegetarian (php 145) and an all-day Breakfast (longganisa php165, steak php 190) Burrito...
everything mouth- watering! It's always best that for every visit, one should try something new from the menu.
The Verdict?

▼

Penne Beef and Mushroom

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 04:49:00 +0000

Early this week, my husband and I were discussing about our Christmas menu for this year. Like what I'ved mentioned before, we're doing a simpler line of dishes. As discussed, our main dish is going to be pasta and as requested by my one and only, he asked me if I could whip up something similar to Banapple's Penne Bolognese. It may seem easy. From the texture, the over-all presentation and considering the availability of ingredients. But the question now is... will I be able to nail the exact same taste and flavor?

As always, this has been the part I enjoy the most--- making the dish my own by concocting a different mixture of flavors. It may be richer or chunkier. It can also be an all- natural, salt-free dish. Aside from fresh ground beef, there are several ingredients that I love adding with the sauce. Chunks mushrooms and fresh parsley. For me, fresh parsley is more than just a garnish. It's flavor can turn an ordinary spaghetti to a gourmet dish.

Ingredients:

1/2 K ground beef (sirloin)
400g penne
500g tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce
1 cup crushed fresh red tomatoes
5 cloves garlic (minced)
A bowl of chopped button mushrooms
2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp grated Mozzarella cheese
Olive oil for sautéing
A dash of salt and ground pepper

How To:

Cook penne al dente! Set Aside.
In a sauce pan, saute minced garlic in olive oil until light brown.
Add ground beef . Stir until cooked.
Add crushed red tomatoes and stir for a few minutes.
Add chunks of button mushroom and parsley. Stir.
Add tomato sauce or preferred spaghetti sauce. Set on low fire and keep stirring.
Add grated Parmesan cheese. Mix everything well.
Add salt and ground pepper to taste.

Plating can be individually. Set cooked penne in a pasta plate, top with prepared sauce and grated mozzarella cheese.
In one platter. Mix sauce with the cooked penne and top with grated Mozzarella cheese.

Ready to serve. Enjoy the Holidays!

Caesar My Caesar

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 04:48:00 +0000

S&R Caesar Salad (Php129)

Banapple's House Salad (Php120)

Tender Bob's Chicken Caesar Salad (Solo at Php235)

Chef d' Angelo Make Your Own Salad ( Eat All You Can at Php150)

Let me make this post simple. I am a sucker for Caesar Salad!

At home or when eating out, as much as possible I try to fit a bowl of Caesar Salad in my every dining experience. I've tried several restaurants serving Caesar Salad. The salad dressing is very basic, it's the mixture of veggies that gets me. There are 4 important key ingredients that makes up a delicious Caesar Salad 1. freshly prepared croutons 2. grilled chicken 3. fresh and crunchy Romaine lettuce 4. fresh parmesan cheese.

I must admit, my favorite right now is the Caesar Salad from S&R. It has been a routine that after shopping, I pack myself with a bowl to go and another for dining- in.

A Dose of Banapple Over The Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:49:00 +0000

Make this entry as my Banapple Favorites post Part 2. Just like what I've mentioned in my first Banapple entry. One can always go back to this lovely restaurant and for every visit, there will be always something new to feast upon. Just this weekend, we celebrated 2 ocassions.

My 33rd birthday and a magnificent evening with Tito Mel. I live 5 minutes away from one of the main branches of Banapple but I make it a point to reserve such ocassions like birthdays and even just to treat a special person for a one of a kind experience.

That night, there were 2 amazing dishes that really got my attention. These dishes are already familiar.

Penne Bolognese

Chicken Breast Parmigiano

Both dishes gave a distinct flavor and texture.

The Penne Bolognese was garlicky but not to a point that it will leave that certain flavor in your mouth. The penne pasta was cooked to perfection, the meat sauce greatly emphasized on the freshness of the beef used. It's a plain pasta dish, but the over-all flavor will leave you wanting more. Best eaten with Banapple's Pesto Butter Bread.

My son's favorite has always been their Chicken Breast Parmigiano. I had to taste it myself and true enough, it's one of the best Chicken Parmigiano I've ever tasted. Note: served with rice. I have always associated that Chicken Pamigiano is served as a pasta dish. But at Banapple's they gave it a different kind of twist. Banapple's Chicken Breast Parmigiano is encrusted in a parmesan crumb mixture topped with rich stewed tomato sauce and melted mozzarella.

Lastly, The Guest of Honor...Tito Mel.

Tito Mel is the younger brother of my father-in-law. He is based in Pacifica and this visit was truly a blessing for us, especially for my husband. We look up to Tito Mel as our second father. He reminds us so much of my late father-in-law. He enjoyed his Banapple experience and promised to go back with the rest of the family on their next Philippine visit. He witnessed how the people loves Banapple and no doubt that the whole home- like dining experience, the food and the service made Banapple worth visiting.

Smith Sunglasses

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:23:00 +0000

If were going to count the essentials when it comes to accessories for men, we may be able to find a few on the list. Which, in a way, makes shopping looks easier for the guys than for the ladies. But think again. With my husband, it's been almost a year since he planned to buy himself a nice pair of sunglasses. With this, his last pair said goodbye 7 years ago. With family duties and obligations at hand starting a family, my husband decided to pass on getting personal things for himself. And just recently, he went searching for a new pair of sunglasses. When it comes to eye wear that also serves as protection, we always count on the best brands in the market. Not because they're from a famous designer, but if we're to talk about quality, protection and style put all together, it is always a must to make a wise investment.

My husband prefers the pair that's perfect for sports and adventure- related outdoor events. Black w/ Polarized Gray Green Lens, smith scientist made it a point to make each Smith Smith Sunglasses stand out. Tough, yet thoughtful with the right to roam. The Rambler- smith spoiler, is comfortable on the busy streets of wherever or on the road less traveled. Underneath the tough exterior lies the performance features that set Smith apart from the masses. The smith pivlock v90 lens silhouette is smaller than the PivLock V90 Max. You can expect great coverage, excellent ventilation, and supreme protection for the elements with this lens shield. Soft, hydrophilic Megol located at the temple tips and on the nosepiece ensure a secure fit under grueling conditions.

The Strudels

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 03:43:00 +0000

It has been months since I first discovered how delicious S&R's Apple Strudels and Strawberry Strudels are. During the Members' Treat, they were sold as a Buy1 Take 1 item. Strudel/s is a pastry that has a jam-like filling.

I've always pictured Strudels as a type of pastry that is often served as dessert with cream on top. In some countries, they use various vegetable preserve and even meat fillings. Fruit, vegetable or meat, it doesn't matter, I'm willing to try everything for the mere purpose of educating myself.

In S&R you'll know that their pastries are always freshly baked. Upon opening, I can already distinguish the sweet smell of the apple and strawberry filling from the freshly baked dough. The most common Strudel is Apfelstrudel which is German for Apple Strudel.

Apple Strudel is my favorite among the 2 types of Strudels I tried from S&R. My son, loves it too. It serves as my dessert after a heavy meal. It's good! A strudel can complete my day..

My Own House Blend Iced Tea

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 03:55:00 +0000

This is nothing new for me but it is for this website. I've been making house blend iced tea since college. Well, that's how I learned to make it. I took up a course related to food preparation and management, and weren't allowed to serve instant juices and processed food every time we have a function. #1 rule I carry from the things I learned when I was still studying is to stick to an all- natural set of ingredients.

House blend iced tea is considered to be one of the healthiest drink. It is made from fresh lemon, or orange mixed with real tea. On the practical side, Calamansi or Calamondin is also considered as an alternative.

I would usually use Jasmine tea because of it's aroma and flavor. It's good when mixed and flavored with citrus. As of the moment, I am using decaffeinated green tea. I'm not really allowed to take in some caffeine now that I am pregnant, so decaf will do. Green tea is another great choice of tea to be used.

My house blend iced tea is a mixture of freshly squeezed calamondin and lemon juice with a hint of orange. Lemon rind can also be added as garnish, for color and additional flavor. House blend iced tea is a healthy replacement for carbonated drinks and instant juices. I bet your guests will love it! It's something different. House blend iced tea are often served in hotels and restaurants.

Best served when cold, in a tall glass and definitely, with your favorite slice of cake.

ARMYNAVY Graces Us With A New Branch

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 06:10:00 +0000

From My Kitchen to whatever is Beyond it, this has got to be one of the best surprises I found for 2011. After dropping my son off to school this morning, I made a quick stop to make a phone call. It's a block away from my son's school. When I was done and about to go, I noticed a big sign to my right.

I got very excited: ARMYNAVY right at our very doorstep! It actually made my morning. Few knows that I'm an avid ARMYNAVY customer. I would go all the way to Makati, Ortigas or Greenhills just to be able to get a munch of their burrito. There are other Mexican inspired restaurants within our reach, but ARMYNAVY has always been exceptional.

I specifically love their Chicken Burrito note: with extra jalapeño and of course their All- Day Breakfast Burrito. Being a burrito lover, really, the picture above made me the happiest. Now, we don't have to rush far to an ARMYNAVY within our reach and in the middle of the night just to be able to get a bite. This ARMYNAVY that's about to open, is 10 minutes away from our house and less than 5 minutes away from my son's school. I call it a blessing from heaven, it is indeed a heavenly treat that one of my favorite food stops has been added in line together with Conti's and Banapple.

Franky's Birthday Celebration At Tender Bob's

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 10:51:00 +0000

As always, all we wanted was a simple birthday celebration for our son... Tender Bob's is one of our all- time family restaurant. We've been dining at Tender Bob's Promenade Greenhills for years. When it comes to special ocassions Tender Bob's has always been our choice. My husband and I would often celebrate our wedding anniversary at Tender Bob's too. Sometimes, after an exhausting day of shopping, we end up having some refreshments in this restaurant too. For every visit, we make sure that we follow what's on their menu.

From appetizers, soups, salads, main and dessert. It's always fun, that once in a while you let somebody else order food for you. My husband knows me too well, he knows that pasta would always be my choice. During my son's birthday celebration, my husband took command ordering. So here's the list of food that made our son's birthday special.

For Starters: Fish and Chips

Lightly battered fillet of fish with fries

Soup: Tomato Parmesan Soup

Delicately prepared thick & creamy

I'm so happy with my soup, I'd probably order Mushroom Soup for myself... but since my husband took in charge of everything... thank God! it was the best choice for the day. I never tried their Tomato Parmesan Soup before, it was a good soup experience, and is now my new favorite.

Salad: Chicken Caesar Salad

I'm such a sucker for Caesar Salad. This time, I requested my husband not to skip on Caesar Salad. I just love it!

Main: US Beef Salpicao

Main: Roasted US Beef Belly

Slow roasted to tenderness. Rich & juicy

The quality of the beef they serve at Tender Bob's is extraordinary. My US Beef Salpicao was cooked according to my preference ( medium rare). It was tender and juicy.

Finale: Rocky road Ice Cream!

I see a happy birthday celebrant. No matter how we celebrate my son's birthday, I know that he is very happy to be able to spend it with us, his parents. The following day, we continued his birthday celebration with breakfast, and with a very special guest--- his lolo Mel paid us a visit from San Francisco.

www.tenderbobs.com

Saluyot Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 04:35:00 +0000

Let's go back on being native when it comes to dishes. Saluyot or Jute Leaves is one of the most common, healthy green leafy vegetable we have here in the Philippines. You can practically find it anywhere here in the country. Saluyot or Jute Leaves is one of my family's secret agent to a healthy lifestyle and long life. When I was a kid, my parents never really permitted us to eat junk food or eat in fast food restaurants that often. Our house was surrounded with so much vegetation. So in case we get hungry, my mom can easily whip up a dish with ingredients straight from our backyard. Camote, Alugbati and Saluyot. And my mom would often accompany our food with Saluyot Soup, which is easy to make by the way.

There were times though when my siblings and I would complain and ask for a new kind of soup to be served on the table. The common complaint: "saluyot na naman!" ("saluyot, AGAIN!"). Now that we're older, we realized that hey, Saluyot is keeping us away from hospitals and preventing us from getting sick.

I serve it to my own family now. My son loves it! especially with plain hot white rice and just the soup with the leaves topping his whole plate of rice.

SALUYOT SOUP

Servings: 2-3

Ingredients:

1 bunch of Saluyot Leaves (Jute Leaves) -washed, leaves removed from the stem, chopped into pieces.
1/2 liter water
5 cloves garlic (minced)
2 pieces chicken breast fillet (chopped into bite sized pieces)
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

How To:

In a sauce pan, quickly saute garlic in olive oil.
Add chopped chicken and stir until half-cooked.
Add 1/2 liter of water, bring to boil.
Add the chopped Saluyot leaves.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

*Eating natural jute regularly helps control blood pressure & cholesterol, and lowers the risk of asthma, cancer, diabetes and heart disease. -source-

Great Deals and Finds From S&R

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 05:19:00 +0000

When it comes to grocery shopping and you want to feel you're in another country, S&R Membership Shopping is our choice. I have been an S&R shopper ever since it opened way back in 2000-2001 (it was a long time ago). After a few years, it re-opened but this time, as an exclusive shopping destination. Now that I am married, my husband and I made sure that we become members. For my husband, it reminded him so much of Costco. He told me that S&R is like a small version of Costco.

We shop in S&R twice a month or more. We just keep on coming back. As a homemaker, the things I like about S&R are their cold cuts, cheeses, gourmet products, fresh meat (pork, beef, chicken and sea food). I also like their baked goodies (in a separate entry). Everything is there and guaranteed fresh all the time. From a regular market to our local supermarket, I shifted on buying our food in S&R.

Just recently, we received an email from S&R notifying us that they're going to have a MEMBERS' TREAT event, they will go on an all out sale. Which includes, Buy1 Take 1 items and discounted products up to 50%. Since we were scheduled to do our groceries, we thought it was very timely. For the regular budget we have, we can get a little more. We started our day early. At 7am, we were already lined up. Note: the line covered the whole of the parking area. Based on our previous S&R MEMBERS' TREAT experience, they really offer so much imported products for a very low price and that explains the rush of buyers and the big crowd we all needed to beat.

March 2011 they also went on sale. That time, we hoarded on bath towels, 300- 500 thread count sheets Queen (which came in a set with pillow cases, fitted sheet, bed sheet ) and some comforters. So with the recent MEMBERS' TREAT event, we thought of concentrating on toiletries, cleaning agents, goodies, canned goods and other household must-haves.

The chips came in on a regular price. But even on a regular basis, we buy our chips from S&R because it's way cheaper compared to our local supermarkets.

Instead of SPAM we decided to try PREM. I remember when our relatives would include PREM everytime they send us some stuff from America. It's cheaper than SPAM, quality? well, almost the same. It's worth the try. My son loves SWISS MISS Milk chocolate, but too bad, they only came in small boxes.

2 of our food finds for this year's sale in terms of price are the 1 Kilo pack of Bounty fresh Chicken Nuggets (Php 199) and the Jennie-O Breakfast Sausage (Php75).

*You will never find a 1 kilo- pack of Bounty Fresh in any local supermarket. If there is, maybe it's more expensive. I'm such a chicken nuggets person and my husband is a breakfast sausage fan. These 2 products are not new to us. We've been buying these items already, only, on regular price. So when S&R had these discounted, we packed up with so much to last us for the next month.

One of my great finds from the recent sale are the ZIP Products. S&R offered ZIP Dish washing Liquid as a Buy1 Take 1 item 900ml for (Php100). On our first visit, I bought a set (2 bottles) in lime scent just to try it. Then when we returned over the weekend, we decided to get a box this time, in lemon. For the price, you might think quality is sacrificed. But NOPE! I like it! It's perfect! better than the previous brand I used. Another item I truly loved are the GLAD Microwavable containers (Php150 set of 5). It is also dishwasher and freezer friendly and not to forget, with interlocking lids.

Before I forget, S&R also had Corelle dinnerware as a Buy1 Take 1 item. I was pondering on it, not bad, not bad... but we don't need it, I have like 3 sets of Corelle dinnerware here at home 2 of them are in storage. Another is the Corningware 7 pc. bake set. When we went back over the weekend, it was all gone. Darn it!

Famished? Get a load of these!

After spending hours and hours of shopping and waiting in line to get in then waiting again in line to the cashier, your food choice from S&R will come in handy.

What I want to share in this entry are my fun discoveries, enjoyable shopping experiences with every S&R visit I make. This coming Saturday another visit is about to be made. It's not about the sale, The MEMBERS' TREAT is already over... it's about the idea of a world class shopping experience.

0o0o

Picture taking is not allowed inside the store premises. The snapshot of our cart was just... let's say... timing was perfect. I saw somebody taking a shot of her cart, and the guard beside me wasn't minding her, so I followed using my small Nokia cellphone. But other than that, bringing of DSLRs, digital cameras, taking wide angle shots of the whole store, personal shots and pictures of items with price tags are not allowed.

Please be guided that this entry is from the blog owner's point of view and perspective only.

My Banapple Favorites: Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 04:12:00 +0000

It took me forever to finally share something from one of my favorite restaurants in Quezon City. Banapple. I live 5 minutes away from the 2 main branches of Banapple. I pass by their restaurant almost everyday. Often times, for "merienda" right after picking up my son from school. We share a slice of cake and a tall, cold glass of their house blend iced tea. Everyday, I look forward to tasting a slice of a new kind of cheesecake, a twirl or 2 from a pasta dish, a sip of an extraordinary drink and over-all, just spending my afternoon in a cozy place where I can relax after a full day of household chores.

There were times when I'd wish I brought my cameras with me. But when one is after the positivity coming from his/ her favorite restaurant, it will not matter to take a snapshot of the food you're eating. Sometimes it doesn't follow. All you wanna do is cherish the time given to you to enjoy your food at that moment. After a Banapple visit with my son over last weekend, I went through some food images and I noticed that I have enough photos documented for a Banapple entry. I guess, it's now time to share My Favorites From Banapple .

Banapple branch close to my ♥: Banapple Blue Ridge, Katipunan.

My favorite corner in Banapple.
It's the coziest place in the restaurant.

I love the interior, the sofa is soft,

it feels like I'm in a dream dessert house.

My Favorite Smoothies

House Specialty: Banapple Smoothie

Dark Chocolate Smoothie

My Favorite Dishes:

House Specialty: Banapple Beef and Sausage Stew

Pasta Verde

House Specialty: Banapple's House Salad

Breaded Fillet of Cream Dory with Honey Thyme Mustard Sauce

Hickory Smoked Barbecued Country Ribs

My Favorite Desserts: Everything!

When it comes to their pies and cheesecakes, that's where my adventure begins. One time, my husband treated me for some afternoon snack in Banapple. He asked me, which one you haven't tried yet? So I pointed and said that I would love to try any of these 3 cheesecakes: choconut oreo cheesecake, blueberry and cherry chocolate truffle. He ordered a slice for all 3 and in one afternoon, fed me with 3 kinds of cheesecakes.

It was so good, that my eyes almost popped- out (lol!). A slice is enough for me, but when celebrations, special occasions and even a moment with your loved ones awaits, a whole is perfect to share with everyone.

Cherry Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake

Dark Chocolate Tiramisu Cheesecake

My Banapple featurette will not end here because there's so much on their menu. As much as I want to, I can't eat everything in one visit (lol!). Besides, it's always good to taste a little of what's on the menu so there's something to look forward to all the time.

Note: Please refer to the Banapple website for the food prices and description: www.banapplekitchen.com

Pork Steak with Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 02:11:00 +0000

We all know that steak is best eaten with gravy or any sauce of our choice. Instead of adding gravy, I came up with caramelized onions and mixed it with mushrooms.

The unique taste and flavor of the onions made my pork steak experience extraordinary. The natural sweetness and juice that came out from the onions was perfect for the herb pork steak I prepared.

Ingredients:

3 chunks of Pork (steak style)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp butter
salt and ground pepper
1 tsp Spanish paprika
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 large white onion chopped

How To:

Season both sides of the pork steak with olive oil, salt, ground pepper, thyme and Spanish paprika. Set Aside.
In a pan, fry pork steak until golden brown. Set Aside.
In the very same frying pan, add butter and saute onions until caramelized.
Add mushrooms and stir for a few seconds.
Top the caramelized onions and mushrooms over the pork steak.
Serve with mixed vegetables or any salad of your choice.

Enjoy!

Left Over Magic--- Pasta Pastel

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 04:46:00 +0000

It's been a long time since I shared a left over magic from my kitchen. Today's featured left- over is from my previous entry: Reinventing Mom's Saucey Pork Roast.

When it comes to cooking, it has been a habit of mine to prepare for at least 2 or 3 extra heads. Obviously, even if my version of pork roast was a total success. It feels like I cooked way too much for everyone here at home. With that, I decided to use the left over Pork Roast and turn it into a pasta dish.

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

250 g spaghetti (cooked)
Left over pork roast (pork pastel also preferred)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
5 cloves garlic minced
1 small white onion (chopped)
1 tsp chopped chives (spring onions)
1 medium red bell pepper (chopped)
salt and ground pepper to taste

How To:

In a sauce pan, saute garlic until light brown.
Add chopped onions and left over pork roast (including sauce). Stir until pork is overly cooked that it can be shredded into small pieces.
Add red bell pepper. Stir for a few seconds.
Add cooked pasta and chopped chives and mix everything evenly.
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Add grated Parmesan cheese.
Serve and Enjoy!

Another Left Over Magic From My Kitchen and Beyond!

A New FMKB

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:58:00 +0000

FMKB--- From My Kitchen and Beyond is going to be in transition soon. I'm so excited, I'm very happy and inspired to share to you that this food blog will have it's own domain and it's new face in a few weeks or maybe in a month.

All these years, since this food blog started back in January 2009, I have been pondering on developing it into a more sophisticated website. I think, that From My Kitchen and Beyond deserves all these changes that's about to happen. Between my 2 blogs, this has been the website that has gathered continuous readings, active traffic and feedback not only from fellow bloggers and food enthusiasts, but also from business owners and individuals interested on using my entries as source for their own websites and brochures.

With this, I also created an email address: frommykitchenbeyond@gmail.com so that any of you can send me limitless inquiries, questions, suggestions (good and bad). This is also to improve the way the items are presented and how the articles are written.

The new face, the new look? I'm still thinking if I should get someone to design it for me. Or I'm also thinking if I should stick with the old template and change the header instead. Might take a little while though, because I plan to feature our very own kitchen as this site's header. I actually asked my mom to help me decorate the whole kitchen. Fresh flowers, fruit baskets and cook books.

Love for food has been in my family's heart ever since, that's why this food blog's been thriving even if I don't make so much restaurant reviews. Our very own home cooked dishes, food discoveries, extraordinary experiences makes this food blog special.

I hope you'll stay and join me in this new journey I'm about to take--- From My Kitchen and Beyond.

Reinventing Mom's Saucey Pork Roast

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 07:07:00 +0000

Just last Sunday, my mom prepared some pork roast for our family dinner. With the looks of it, it's quite different from the regular pork roast most of us are familiar with. What made my mom's pork roast unique? It's saucey. Beneath the creamy mushroom sauce, are slices of the roasted pork. It was so good. The pork was soft and juicy. The balance of butter and cream in the sauce was just right. It was everyone's choice for the evening, even the kids loved it.

Mom's Saucey Pork Roast

The following day, I called my mom for her Saucey Pork Roast recipe. I want to practice making my own saucy pork roast but I also want to add something to make it my own. So I asked my ever reliable food taster (my husband) for some suggestions. He recommended that I add vegetable bits like mixed corn kernels and carrots. As always, corn is perfect for creamy sauces because of it's flavor. Carrots will not only add nutrients, but it will also make the dish more colorful.

I proceeded by tenderizing the tenderloin before roasting it. Then I sliced it into pieces, arranged it in a serving platter. Then, I sauteed some garlic in butter, mushrooms, mixed veggies, a little corn starch, cream of mushroom. When everything is thick and half-cooked, pour the sauce over the prepared pork. Bake it, serve it straight, add another ingredient of your choice... my version of my mom's Saucey Pork Roast was also different. The sauce is thicker and the flavor from the corn gave it an extraordinary taste.

Garlic Soy Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 06:12:00 +0000

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients:

5 pcs. Chicken breast fillet ( drumsticks, wings are also preferred)
2 whole garlic (minced)
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp roasted sesame seeds
1 medium red bell pepper (chopped into small pieces)
2 tbsp Cooking oil (for frying)
1/2 tsp chilli paste or cayenne powder (optional)
1 tsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
salt and ground pepper

How To:

In a bowl, mix soy sauce, 1tsp all purpose flour, honey and sherry vinegar. Set aside.

Season chicken with salt and ground pepper.
In a frying pan, fry chicken until golden brown, chop into bite size, then set aside.
In a separate pan, saute minced garlic in olive oil until golden brown. (Get a tablespoon of fried garlic then set aside as toppings.)
Add chopped red bell pepper.
Add chicken and stir for a few seconds.
Add soy sauce mixture and roasted sesame seeds then stir everything together evenly.
Add chilli paste or cayenne.
Serve and top with more garlic.

Enjoy! My version of Soy Chicken can be served as a viand or something paired with a cold bottle of beer and good company.

Mogu Mogu

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 12:52:00 +0000

This is one drink, that I haven't really shared in this food blog. I became familiar with Mogu Mogu when I first dined in Bon Chon Chicken. Yes, Mogu Mogu is part of their list of beverages sold for(₱45ea).

Mogu Mogu is a healthy fruit Juice drink with real Nata de Coco bits.

Now that I'm pregnant, I try to keep away from caffeine and carbonated drinks. It's one of the fruit juices that satisfy me the most, especially when it's super cold. On a very hot day, a cute bottle can quench your thirst in an instant. Plus, the Nata de Coco pieces makes it more enjoyable because it's chewy. It is indeed fun and refreshing. My favorite flavors are: Lychee, Strawberry, Grapes. Actually, I enjoyed all the flavors. Mogu Mogu is available in leading supermarkets here in the Philippines. It is also being sold at Petron Stations (Treats) for (₱32ea).

My Choice For Breakfast--- Danggit

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 10:24:00 +0000

My Dad just got back from Cebu and brought home boxes of Danggit and pusit. Danggit in particular has always been my family's favorite. Lucky, if someone will travel to Cebu or if any of our friends from Cebu will visit us here Manila. Either way, we always ask for some Danggit. Why Cebu? If it's Danggit you want, it should be from Cebu.

Danggit is one of Cebu's famous delicacy. Best when paired with vinegar and fried rice. This morning, I had a Filipino treat, fried some Danggit, chopped some tomatoes and paired it with some coconut vinegar, it was so good I had it also for lunch. By the way, Danggit is the only salted fish or dried fish that I can finish including the head. It's so crunchy, easy to cook and it's easy to eat!

A BonChon Chicken Lover

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 03:44:00 +0000

It was a rainy long weekend for us. With the heavy rains accompanied by strong winds, instead of going out of town, we decided to stay in the city. For a person (like me) who hasn't been out for months, it's a bit disappointing, especially when I had everything all planned and set to go somewhere with my family. But safety first, as much as I wanted to be out, security is #1 priority. So, what was the highlight of our long weekend? Since we stayed in the city, my husband took me to my favorite places and restaurants. One of them is BonChon Chicken. Since I haven't shared any restaurant thoughts for the past months, let me entice you with the list of my favorites from BonChon Chicken .

If you're a Korean Fried Chicken lover, BonChon is the restaurant you may have been looking for. BonChon Chicken is originally a South Korean-based fried chicken franchise restaurant.

Bulgogi Wrap (₱125 Ala Carte), (₱145 Value Meal)
I sure would like my Bulgogi wrap served with a bottle of Stella Artois.

Garlic Soy Chops RiceBox (₱145)
Pickled Radish (₱45)

Which is best eaten when paired with their pickled radish and house blend iced tea.
If you like it hot, Spicy Glazed Chops are also available.

After our sumptuous meal, I went home with more Chicken from BonChon to match my movie date night with my husband.

Even with the bad weather nothing beats a day and night spent in a place where good food is served, having my ever loyal buddies around to share the moment with me---my family.

A Satisfied BonChon Lover
My Location of BonChon Restaurant: Acropolis (Libis)
(10am-10pm) daily

New York Times Review BonChon Chicken

Shabu- Shabu In The House

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 10:14:00 +0000

Shabu-shabu is also known as Japanese hot pot inspired by the original Chinese hot pot. The dish is made of stock, thinly sliced beef, green leafy vegetables. Nowadays, mixed seafood, mushrooms, seaweeds and noodles are also added.

When it comes to beef, most of the time a more expensive meat, such as Wagyū, is used because it's easy to cook and it has more flavor. Here in the Philippines, Shabu- shabu has become a regular participant for occasions. Having Shabu-shabu at home is one of the best options for a get together. It's cheaper and time is not really of a big deal. Portions? you can have all you want! It's fun preparing a bowl while having a good conversation with guests and loved ones.

During my dad's birthday celebration, we decided to prepare something different. It was great, because everything was on the table already. Nobody stood up (which is pretty distracting) to get something somewhere else. Our night continued, we were able to relax, shared long stories and laughed.

Since Shabu- shabu is now a common dish and a $aving grace too. We can always enjoy it at home instead of dining in a restaurant. And in almost every supermarket, a stand is now open that carries various ingredients for Shabu- shabu.

Our Shabu- shabu had 2 important ingredients. 1. Broth was chicken stock boiled to perfection. No additives. 2. The corn cobs which gave a distinct flavor. And later on, my dad brought out some crabs too. It was the best Shabu- shabu for me!!!

My Choice For Breakfast--- Corned Beef with Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Enchie) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 06:59:00 +0000

This is My Choice For Breakfast this week.

One of the viands I grew up eating every morning is corned beef. It's easy to cook and it's perfect with rice.

1. I like my corned beef with lots of onions

2. I want something cheesy in the morning sometimes.

It's easy!

Simply saute corned beef in oil with lots of onions. In a separate sauce pan boil potatoes until soft, drain then mash them with butter. Top it with your choice of melted cheese. Toasts? optional.

The cheesy mashed potatoes is composed of buttered mashed potatoes with the combination of melted cheese, and my favorite cheese dip.