November 20 - Excited for Meat Lasagne

Even with lasagne, I would prefer the pasta, al dente. I would rather use the "No Boil Oven Ready" lasagne, to avoid having mushy lasagne.

Serving this to my kids, I decided not to put ricotta cheese. They are not familiar with the taste of the ricotta cheese.

This lasagne is not mushy nor "soupy". But if you prefer more sauce, then increase the amount of pasta sauce.

Meat Lasagne
Ingredients
2 lbs ground sirloin
1 large sweet onion, minced
2 red sweet pepper, minced
1 14 oz. pasta sauce (I used Classico Tomato and Basil)
5 oz shredded mozzarella
2 oz shredded parmesan
2 tbsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 cup water
"No Boil Oven Ready" Lasagne pasta
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, minced
2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves, minced
2 tbsp fresh oregano leaves, minced

Cooking Time (1.5 hours)

In a large pan, heat the olive oil and saute the ground sirloin, onion and sweet pepper for 15 minutes.

Add the pasta sauce, salt, freshly ground pepper, water and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the basil, oregano and parsley.

In a large baking pan (13" x 19" x 2"), place a layer of the meat sauce.

Repeat layers of lasagne, mozzarella cheese, and meat sauce.

Finish with a third layer of lasagne and meat sauce.

Top with 2 oz. of freshly grated parmesan.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

November 9 - Ribs With Black Bean Sauce

A typical Chinese dimsum favorite is spare ribs with black bean sauce. The recipe calls for short cuts of ribs. Unfortunately, I only got long beef ribs (beef bones).

I used the Kikkoman black bean sauce with garlic, which made the sauce subtle for the kids to enjoy. The ginger and spring onions gave the Asian kick. The carrots, celery stalks and green pepper added the sweet, stewy taste.

As with the curried chicken that I prepared last time, the kids welcomed the new taste.

Of course, I am thrilled, especially when the kids are becoming more daring to finish all the vegetables served to them.

Ribs With Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients:
Beef Spare Ribs (Single Bones or Cut into 1 1/2" long)
2 tbsp oil
3 cups water
5 tsp black bean sauce with garlic
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp of long, thin slices of ginger
1 cup diced celery stalks
1 cup diced carrots
2 green pepper, long, thin slices
1 but of spring onions, cut in half
dash of freshly ground pepper







Cooking Time (1 hour)
Heat a large frying pan with 2 tbsp oil.
Brown the ribs.
In another large stock pan or wok, heat 3 cups of water.
Add 5 tsp black bean sauce with garlic and 1/2 cup of soy sauce.
Transfer the brown ribs in the large stock pan.
Cover and cook the ribs in high heat for 25 minutes.
Dash with freshly ground pepper.
Add the ginger, carrots and celery stalks and cook in medium heat.
In the last 10 minutes, add the green pepper and spring onions.

November 7 - Curried Chicken Dish That Kids Will Love

Here's one chicken curry recipe that my kids ended up liking. Curry powder is a bit spicy but adding some milk to the dish made the taste mild enough for my kids.

The original recipe called for sliced mushrooms. It was not that appetizing for the kids. So for the second time, I substituted the mushrooms with carrots and sweet peas.

I still think that color is a big factor when it comes to dishes that kids would enjoy.


Curried Chicken Fricassee

Ingredients

6 chicken legs

1 tbsp salt

2 tbsp butter

1 big sweet onion, thinly sliced

8 small (or medium) carrots

1 can sweet peas

2 tbsp curry powder (West Indian)

1 cup of milk

2 tbsp corn starch

Cooking Time (30 minutes)

Heat the butter in a large frying pan or Dutch oven.

Rub the chicken legs with salt.

Fry the chicken, skin side up.

After 10 minutes, turn the chicken on the other side.

Place the onions and carrots on top of the chicken and let it cook for 10 minutes.

Strain the sweet peas from the can but save the liquid.

Put the peas in the pan.

Mix the liquid with 2 tbsp curry powder.

Pour the liquid on the chicken and cook for 5 minutes.

Mix 1 cup of milk with 2 tbsp corn starch.

Pour it around the chicken and carefully mix it with the curry.

Cook for another 5 minutes.

November 3 - Carrots and Snow Peas with Dill

I would think that all kids like carrots. It must be the orange color and the subtle sweet taste.

But I would not expect kids to love snow peas. It has a stronger (grassy) taste than green beans.

So I tried adding snow peas to the classic dish of carrots and dill. Sure enough, the kids enjoyed eating the snow peas, too.


Carrots and Snow Peas with Dill

Ingredients
1 bunch of carrots, cut-up
1 lb snow peas
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tsp butter
1/2 tsp dill
1 cup water








Cooking Time (20 minutes)
Boil the carrots in a cup of water in a large frying pan for 10 minutes.
Add the snow peas, sugar, salt, pepper, lemon juice, butter, and dill.
Cook for another 10 minutes.

November 2 - Beef Steak a la Filipino Style

Beef Steak a la Filipino Style is one of our favorites growing up. It goes perfectly well with plain white rice and any leafy vegetables.

Beef Steak

Ingredients
1 lb beef tenderloin or sirloin (thinly sliced, carpaccio style)
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tbsp lemon juice
freshly ground pepper

Cooking Time (25 minutes)
Heat the oil in a large frying pan.
Saute the onion until caramelized and slightly browned, about 10 minutes
Set the onions aside.
Lay the beef in the frying pan, almost in a single layer.
Fry until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Add the lemon, soy sauce and dash of pepper.
Fry until the beef has absorbed all the sauce.