January 1 - Dutch Doughnuts for New Year

Serving Oliebollen (Dutch doughnuts) on New Year's eve is a Dutch tradition. So when my husband learned that I am serving oliebollen on New Year's eve, he was very happy.





Oliebollen
Ingredients
1 cake yeast (2/3 oz)
1 cup milk
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup raisins (washed to soften)
1 apple, peeled and chopped
oil for deep frying
confectioner's sugar











Preparation Time (at least 4 hours)
Mix the cake yeast with 1/3 cup lukewarm water and let it stand for at least 15 minutes or until bubbles appear.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour and salt.
Add the yeast, milk and egg to the flour mixture and mix.
Mix the raisins and apples to the batter.

Leave the bowl in a warm place.
Let it stand until the batter doubles in size.


Cooking Time (20 minutes)
Pour oil in a deep fryer.
Shape balls using two spoons and drop them in the deep fryer.
Cook the doughnuts for 7 minutes or until brown.
Drain the doughnuts on absorbent paper.
Cover thickly with confectioner's suger before serving.

October 3 - Frutti de Mare Over Pasta

Being a seafood lover, Frutti de Mare is one of my favorites. You can pretty much include any kind of seafood, but for me, there should be shrimps, mussels, clams and squid. You can use your favorite marinara sauce or a simple can of chopped tomatoes. Chopped pancetta adds a distinct flavor to the dish.

Frutti de Mare Over Pasta
Ingredients

4 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 Vidalia sweet onion, minced

4 oz pancetta, chopped

10 oz. sliced fresh button mushroom

1 red bell pepper, minced

28 oz can of chopped tomatoes or bottle of marinara sauce

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano

1/2 cup red wine

4 jumbo tiger shrimps, peeled and deveined

4 squid, cleaned and sliced

1 dozen clams

1 lb mussels

1 package of fettuccine

4 tbsp butter

Cooking Time (40 minutes)

Heat the olive oil in a large pan or wok.

Saute the garlic, then the onions for 5 minutes.

Add the pancetta and brown for 5 minutes.

Add the red bell pepper, mushroom, and chopped tomatoes (or marinara sauce).

Add the basil, parsley and oregano.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Let the sauce cook for 10 minutes.

Add the clams and let it cook for 5 minutes.

Then add the mussels, shrimps and squid.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta.

Once cooked, mix the pasta with butter.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the pasta in a big serving plate.

Take out the clams, mussels and shrimps from the sauce.

Carefully pour the sauce over the pasta.

Arrange the shrimps and shells on top.

September 21 - Beer Braised Pork Chops

Beer braised pork chops is another easy yet delicious way of serving pork chops.

Pork chop is not a favorite meat cut for me. It tends to be hard than tender. When trying this dish, use the center cut with the bone in. It's all meat but really tender.

Rub the meat with salt and pepper then set aside for at least 15 minutes. In this way, the meat is tastier when browned.

Preparing the crispy fried apples and onions is a bit tricky and took much of the cooking effort. But the kids love the apples and the onions a lot that it was worth all the cooking hassle.

Beer Braised Pork Chops

Ingredients

4 pieces pork chops, bone in

2 tbsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

4 tbsp olive oil

1 bottle of beer

4 Gala apples, peeled, cored and each apple cut into 4 rings

1 large Vidalia sweet onion, cut into long strings

3 cups flour

4 eggs, whisked

3 cups bread crumbs

oil for deep frying

Cooking Time (1 hour)

Rub the meat with salt and pepper.

Heat the 4 tbsp olive oil in a large shallow pan.

Brown the pork chops, 5 minutes on each side.

Pour 1 bottle of beer in a large baking dish.

Place the chops in a single layer.

Bake for 45 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

In the meantime, prepare the crispy fried apples and onion.

Heat enough amount of oil in a deep fryer, about 2 inches deep.

Place the flour in one bowl.

Place the whisked eggs in another bowl.

Place the bread crumbs in a third bowl.

Dip each apple ring in the flour, then egg, then bread crumbs.

Fry 4 apple rings at a time for about 4 minutes.

Fry the onion strings as well.

Once the meat is done, pour the drippings in a frying pan.

Add 4 tbsp of flour and whisk together to make the gravy.

September 17 - Bitterballen

My husband is off to Netherlands and here I am trying out the bitterballen. Bitterballen is a Dutch typical appetizer that is prepared like croquettes but shaped like a ball. They were originally served with bittertje, a small glass of Dutch jenever, that's why is called "bitter ball".

The main thing he told me when preparing bitterballen is not to use ground meat. It is not a meatball. For this, I used beef chuck pot roast.

It is also a ragout, meaning you can use any leftover meat. Since I did not have any leftovers, I made my own boiled beef first before making the bitterballen.

It is typically served with mustard, or any dip of your liking.

Since I am serving bitterballen as church snacks, I increased the portions 4 times as much, about 70 pieces of bitterballen. If you are just serving to a small group, then 2 cups of shredded beef should be fine.

It is also good to prepare bitterballen ahead of time and store them in the freezer.



Bitterballen

Ingredients:
4 lbs beef chuck pot roast
1/4 cup salt
1 tbsp peppercorn
1 cup or 2 sticks butter
4 cups flour
8 cups broth
4 packets unflavored gelatin (1 oz)
5 tbsp parsley flakes
2 tbsp nutmeg
juice from 1 fresh lemon

4 eggs, yolk and white separated
1 cup milk
bread crumbs
flour
oil for deep frying

Preparation Time (overnight)
Place the beef chuck pot roast in a big casserole.
Add the salt and peppercorn.
Add enough water to cover the meat, about 10 cups.
Let it cook in low heat for 4 hours until the meat is really tender.
Strain the broth and set aside.
Shred the beef using two forks.
Chop the shredded beef as well.
In a large pot, melt the butter in medium heat.
Add the flour and mix it to make a roux.
After 10 minutes, slowly add 8 cups of the beef broth.
Mix it thoroughly for 5 minutes.
Add the gelatin and mix it well.
Add the parsley, lemon and nutmeg.
Mix 8 cups of the shredded beef.
Mix it thoroughly for another 15 minutes.
Turn off the heat.
Add the egg yolks and milk.
Transfer the mixture in a large shallow pan.
Cool it in the refrigerator for 5 hours or overnight to make it firm.


Cooking Time (1 hour)
Heat enough oil in a deep fryer.
Place 2 cups of flour in a bowl.
Place the egg whites with 3 tbsp oil in another bowl.
Place 2 cups of bread crumbs in a third bowl.
Using a tablespoon or ice cream scoop, scoop enough mixture to make a 1.5 inch ball.
Dip it in the flour, then in the egg whites mixture, then in the bread crumbs.
Make at least 5 balls before frying them together in the deep fryer.
Fry them for at least 5 minutes.
Serve warm with mustard.

August 31 - Serving Pan Fried Flounder with Broccoli Slaw

I am pleased that my kids are appreciating more fish dishes than before. Also, they have added zucchini and eggplant as favorite veggies besides broccoli.

So tonight, I served pan fried flounder and broccoli slaw. I have not prepared the usual cabbage slaw at home but surprisingly, they did not shy away from the broccoli slaw. Secret ingredients must be the bacon bits and sugar :)

Pan Fried Flounder and Broccoli Slaw

Ingredients

for the Pan Fried Flounder:

6 7oz. flounder fillet

salt and pepper

1 cup milk

2 cups flour

1 lemon, thinly sliced

butter for frying

for the Broccoli Slaw:

2 packages of Dole Broccoli Slaw

5 bacon slices

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

Cooking Time (1 hour)

Lay the flounder fillets in a large baking pan.

Season with salt and pepper on both sides.

Let it stand for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the broccoli slaw.

Chop the 5 pieces of bacon.

Fry the bacon bits in a large frying pan.

In a big salad bowl, mix together the broccoli slaw, brown sugar, mayonnaise, olive oil and bacon.

Start cooking the flounder.

Place the milk in a shallow bowl.

Place the flour in a big plate.

Dredge each flounder fillet in milk, then in flour.

You may use butter or the oil from the bacon to fry the flounder.

Cook each side until it's golden brown.

Serve the fish with rice and slaw.

You may add a lemon slice on top of the fish for garnishing.

August 27 - A Special Way to Serve Cod

While dining in Delmonico's, I had a wonderful serving of Pan Roasted Cod with Tomato Leek Fondue. Since cod is my husband's favorite fish, I dared myself to prepare it at home.

The dish was served with tomato leek fondue and spaghetti squash. The tomato leek fondue, for me, was the main driver of the dish. The spaghetti squash has a subtle and sweet taste. I used a non-stick frying pan to cook the fish since cod is very soft and can easily break.

Pan Roasted Cod

Ingredients:

for Pan Roasted Cod:

6 cod fillet, about 2.5 lbs

salt and pepper

olive oil for frying

for Tomato Leek Fondue:

15 0z tomato sauce

1 tbsp salt

pepper

3 cups leek (the white portion of the leek, thinly sliced)

1 cup milk

capers and black olives for garnishing

for Spaghetti Squash:

1 spaghetti squash

olive oil

salt

pepper

grated Parmesan cheese

Cooking Time (90 minutes)

Start with the spaghetti squash.

Cut it in half (lengthwise).

Scrape the seeds and the "stringy" stuff out.

Drizzle with olive, salt and pepper.

Put the halves together.

Bake in the oven for an hour at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

After 30 minutes, start preparing the fondue.

In a pot, heat the olive oil.

Saute the leek for 5 minutes.

Add the tomato sauce, salt and pepper.

Let it simmer for 30 minutes.

Add 1 cup of milk.

Blend the sauce to make a puree.

Keep it warm while preparing the pan roasted cod.

Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan.

Pan fry each cod fillet, on both sides.

Cook it until slightly crisp.

When serving, add Parmesan cheese on the spaghetti squash.

Place a big scoop of spaghetti squash on a plate.

Place a cod fillet on top of the squash.

Pour some tomato leek fondue over the fish.

Garnish with capers and chopped black olives.

August 25 - Ratatouille for the Kids

Ratatouille is one my kids' favorite movies. It's about a rat improvising these seemingly delicious dishes. Of course, the kids wonder if that ratatouille tasted really good just as the food critic claimed it to be.

In my first attempt to prepare ratatouille, it looked good but tasted dry. I hesitated to include eggplants since my kids, at that time, were not familiar with it.


This time, my dish was warmly welcomed (and consumed) by my kids. Yes, I included the eggplant, which added the toasty taste of the dish. I made a good tomato sauce as a base for my ratatouille, which the kids liked as well.

Ratatouille



Ingredients
For the sauce:
1 small can of tomato paste
1 cup water
1 large sweet onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp salt
pepper
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp fresh oregano leaves
1/4 cup olive oil

For the vegetables:
2 green zucchini, thinly sliced
1 Italian eggplant, cut lengthwise in 4 portions and thinly sliced
8 red plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced



Cooking Time (70 minutes)
Heat the olive oil in a wok.
Saute the garlic, then the onion.
Add the tomato paste, 1 cup water, thyme, basil, oregano, salt and pepper.
Let it cook for 30 minutes in low heat.
Carefully blend the sauce into a puree.
Pour the tomato sauce in a large baking pan.
Arrange the zucchini, eggplant and tomato alternately in a single layer.
Place the thin slices of green bell pepper on top.
Cover the pan with a parchment paper.
Bake the ratatouille for 40 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

August 24 - Stuffed Pork Cutlets Served with Beer Sauerkraut and Dumplings

One colleague noticed that I only have one Austrian dish in my recipe blogs. So he offered to share his collection of Austrian recipes. The combination of pork cutlets, sauerkraut and dumplings was interesting enough for my kids.

The stuffed pork cutlet came out tasty. Make sure that you take the time to marinade the pork with salt, pepper and garlic.

Same thing with the beer sauerkraut, I gave it an hour to simmer. It is not the usual sour tasting cabbage. The caraway is optional, although I think, it gave the disk the wonderful aroma.

My son liked the dumplings. I used the sweet Vidalia onion and fresh parsley to give this recipe a kick.


Stuffed Pork Cutlet
Ingredients
Stuffed Pork Cutlets:
6 pork cutlets or steaks (about 2" by 6, about 1/2 inch thick)
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
6 fresh sausages link (take out the skin)
olive oil
Beer Sauerkraut:
1 head cabbage, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 cup or bottle of beer
Dumplings:
6 mini brioche rolls, crumbled
2 eggs
1 cup milk
olive oil
salt
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Cooking Time (1 hour)
Season the pork steaks with garlic, salt and pepper.
Set aside for 45 minutes.
Cook the beer sauerkraut.
Heat the olive oil in a wok and saute the onions.
Add the beer and the cabbage.
Season with salt, pepper and caraway seeds.
Simmer the cabbage for 1 hour.
Prepare the dumplings.
Mix all the ingredients for the dumplings.
Divide the mixture into 9 portions.
Using a plastic wrap, wrap a portion and shape it into a ball.
Microwave the dumplings for at least 3 minutes.
Cook the stuffed pork cutlets.
Stuff each cutlet with a portion of the sausage filling.
Fold the cutlet into half.
You can use a panini grill to cook the cutlet for 10 minutes.
Or you can fry the cutlets on both sides using a shallow pan.

June 15 - Creamy Basil and Tomato Pasta

It's always a choice between marinara sauce and creamy Alfredo sauce. But today, it's a crossover of these two wonderful pasta sauces - creamy basil and tomato.

For a livelier taste, use freshly chopped tomatoes and basil.

Creamy Basil and Tomato Pasta

Ingredients

Olive oil

1 lb jumbo shrimps, peeled and deveined

salt

freshly ground pepper

5 cloves garlic, minced

medium onion, minced

5 ripe vine tomatoes, chopped

1 cup milk

4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

10 fresh basil leaves, chopped

16 oz pasta noodles, preferably angel hair or spaghetti

Cooking Time (30 minutes)

Cook the pasta as instructed (about 8 minutes).

In a wok or big saucepan, heat 4 tbsp olive oil.

Fry the shrimps for 5 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

Set the shrimps aside.

Saute the garlic, then the onions in the same pan.

After 5 minutes, add the chopped tomatoes and saute for another 5 minutes.

Add the pasta.

Add the milk, 2 tbsp salt, 1 tsp pepper and 4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese.

Before serving, add the fresh basil and 2 tbsp olive oil.

Top the pasta with the cooked shrimp.

March 30 - Serve it Differently with Roasted Ducks and Pears

Ever since I have prepared the roasted Peking duck (with Mandarin Crepes) at home, I have been more confident in cooking duck dishes for my family.

Instead of cooking the whole duck though, I have been buying the Long Island duck breast since it is easier to prepare and cook.

Roasted duck with pears came out really delicious. The sweetness of pear, the sourness of tomatoes and sherry gave this duck dish a kick.

Roasted Duck with Pears

Ingredients

2 Long Island duck breast (2.5 lbs)

salt

freshly ground pepper

4 Anjou pears, peeled, cored and quartered

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, minced

4 carrots, chopped

1 tsp fresh thyme

1 tsp fresh parsley

2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup sherry

Cooking time (1.5 hours)

Season the duck breasts with salt and pepper.

Heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Put a cup of water on a pan and place the duck breasts on a rack, then on the pan.

Roast for an hour or until the duck's skin is golden brown.

Meanwhile, parboil the pears in a small pot with one cup of water.

In a large pot, add the juices from the roasted duck and 2 cups of chicken stock.

Add the garlic, onion, carrots, thyme, parsley, tomatoes and sherry.

Cook for 30 minutes.

Add the juice from the pear.

Slice the duck breast and put on the large pot.

Add the pears, as well, and cook for 5 minutes.

Take the duck slices and pears and arrange in the serving platter.

Add flour and cook for 5 minutes.

Place the mixture in a bowl and puree it.

Pour a spoonful of the sauce on a serving of duck slices and pear.

March 11 - A Complete Meal with Spanish Chicken and Rice

Spanish chicken and rice is a complete meal by itself. And it is really filling.

This is one dish that my kids appreciate. They like it when the chicken itself is really tasty.




Spanish Chicken and Rice


Ingredients
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 piece Italian dry sausage, sliced
1 15oz can sweet peas
6 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
salt and freshly ground pepper
6 tbsp chopped parsley
5 fire-roasted red peppers
1 tbsp paprika
0.25 grams saffron
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup vermouth
2 cups white rice

Cooking Time (1 hour)

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil and brown the chicken.

Set the chicken aside.

Brown the Italian sausage on the same pot and set aside.

Saute the garlic, onion and parsley on the same pot.

Add the red pepper, paprika and saffron.

Add the chicken broth and vermouth.

Add the rice and let it boil for 20 minutes or until the liquid is almost gone.

Place the peas, chicken and sausage back to the pot.

Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Mix chicken and rice before serving.

February 15 - The Sweetness of Belgian Waffles

There is nothing sweet with Belgian waffles. It's all those wonderful, syrupy toppings that we put on it.

But what I like about this dish is the sweet smell of the waffles that makes you add a dollop of vanilla ice cream over it.

Belgian Waffle

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup milk
4 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Suggested toppings:
sliced strawberries sweetened with Confectioner's sugar
Cool Whip cream or vanilla ice cream
chocolate syrup



Preparation Time
Mix all the ingredients until there are no more flour lumps.
Let it stand for 30 minutes

Cooking time
Pour enough waffle batter in a Belgian waffle maker.
Serve warm.

February 11 - Pizza for Lunch

We have 2 snow days. The school was closed for two days.

As for me and my husband, we have to work from home, since the kids were home.

This is a good time to serve them pizza.

My sourdough starter came in very handy.

I made my first homemade pizza dough. After a lot of practice baking my own bread using my
sourdough starter, the pizza dough came out good.

It came out crusty and chewy.


Pizza


Ingredients
1 cup sourdough starter
1 cup flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar

Suggested toppings:
6 tbsp of marinara sauce
6 tbsp grated mozzarella
cooked sausage, thinly sliced or
Spanish chorizo, thinly sliced







Preparation:
In a bowl, pour the starter. Add the vegetable oil, salt and sugar.
Mix together.
Add 1 cup of flour.
Knead the dough for 20 minutes, dusting the dough with enough flour.
This dough is enough to make a 12" pizza.
Flatten the dough on a 12" round stone, until the dough does not spring back.
Let it stand for 30 minutes


Cooking time:
Bake the dough for 5 minutes at 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bring the pizza out of the oven and add toppings.
Bake the pizza for another 10 minutes at 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Let it stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

February 6 - Time for Pasta Carbonara

Another pasta recipe that my kids enjoy - Pasta Carbonara.

It's one of my favorite too. I remember a colleague of mine who used to serve this to us and I can't seem to have enough of it.

This recipe gets the zest from the thick-cut black forest bacon and onion.


Pasta Carbonara

Ingredients
1 lb thick-cut black forest bacon, diced in small pieces
1 large sweet onion, minced
3 eggs
1 pint heavy cream
5 tbsp grated Parmesan
1 package of linguine pasta noodles
freshly ground pepper













Cooking Time: (25 minutes)
Whisk the eggs with the cream.
Cook the linguine as directed in the package.
In a large pan, cook the bacon and onion for 20 minutes.
Put back the drained pasta back in a large pot.
Pour over the egg-cream mixture on the pasta. Add the grated Parmesan.
Mix together for 2 minutes or until the sauce is not watery.
Turn off the heat.
Add the bacon and onion to the pasta mixture.
Add freshly ground pepper to taste.

December 11 - Cathelyn's Penne a la Vodka

Pork menudo became an instant favorite of Daniel. As for Cathelyn, she chose Penne a la Vodka.

Besides the vodka, the sundried tomatoes gave the dish its unique twist.

If you are thinking of making this dish vegetarian, feel free to exclude the bacon and add in more butter or use olive oil to saute the garlic and onion.

Penne a la Vodka
Ingredients
1 package of penne pasta
12 pieces of sundried tomatoes, sliced into thin strips, softened in 1 cup of warm water
1/4 lb chunk of Schaller & Weber double smoked bacon, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 sweet onion, minced
100 ml. heavy cream
1 cup of Vodka or Vermouth
1 cup of grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp butter
freshly ground pepper





Cooking Time
Cook the penne pasta as instructed in the package.
When selecting bacon, get a chunk from your butcher shop or gourmet store.
This kind of bacon is not as fatty when cooked.
In a large pan, fry the diced bacon.
Add the garlic and onion and cook until caramelized.
Add the sundried tomatoes together with the water and cook for 5 minutes or until the tomatoes are tender.
Add the heavy cream, cheese and butter.
Lower the heat.
Adjust the taste (by adding more cheese) to make sure that the sauce is not bland.
Add the vodka (or Vermouth) and quickly mix in the penne pasta.
Add some freshly ground pepper.

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 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.

October 15 - Vegetable Soup for the Cold Autumn

The first days of October are the toughest time of Autumn. It is getting colder and our bodies are starting to acclimate to the changing weather. It is even tougher when it becomes windy and kids have to play soccer in the freezing rain.

Dutch Vegetable Soup
Ingredients:
3 tbsp butter
1 cauliflower head, cut in small pieces
2 cup diced carrots
2 cups diced celery stalks
15 pieces of Brussels sprouts, cut in halves
2 tbsp minced scallions
8 cups of chicken broth
2 cups cooked white rice
2 tbsp minced parsley







Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Using a large pot, saute the vegetables (except parsley) in butter for 15 minutes.
Add the chicken broth and the cooked white rice.
Simmer for the next 30 minutes.
Mix in the parsley in the last minute.
Serve with some sausages and bread.

October 7 - A Real Dutch Steak

Potatoes is a Dutch staple as rice is to a Filipino.

I appreciate the way the potatoes are "fried" the Dutch way. They are cooked in butter and taste really sweet and creamy.

As for Dutch steaks, they are simply seasoned with salt and pepper and also fried in butter.

Dutch Steak

Ingredients:

4 boneless ribeye steaks, .4 lb each

3 tbsp butter

salt and pepper

1/2 cup cream

Preparation Time:

Pat the steaks dry.

Season them with salt and pepper.

Let them stand in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or overnight.

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Heat the butter in a Dutch oven pan or fry pan.

Fry the steaks on high heat, for 10 minutes on each side, for medium well.

Set the steaks aside.

Pour the cream on the pan.

Stir it gently for 5 minutes to make the gravy.

Pour a tablespoon of the gravy on the steak.

Serve the steaks with home fried potatoes and sweet peas.

Home Fried Potatoes

Ingredients:

15 small gold creamer potatoes, thinly sliced

3 tbsp butter

1 cup water

salt

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Melt the butter in a large frying pan.

Put the potatoes and water.

Season with salt.

When the water is all dried, fry the potatoes gently until they are lightly browned. Serve warm.

October 6 - Kid Friendly Spanish Paella

Growing up, Spanish paella for me would normally refer to seafood paella, filled with mussels, squid, clams and shrimps.

My family is not used to eating seafood yet, besides fish fillet and shrimp. Even if I would have enjoyed the paella with mussels and clams, I stayed away from it.

Besides trimming the meat to just chicken, chorizo and shrimps, I also limited the vegetables to green bell pepper, peas and onions. I made sure that I used enough saffron and paprika to give the dish that authentic taste.

The rice came out fluffy and tasty. The taste is subtle yet very satisfying to my kids.

Spanish Paella

Ingredients:
1 lb jumbo shrimps, peeled
2 chicken legs, boneless, cut-up
3 links of Spanish sausage (chorizo), thinly sliced
1 medium Spanish onion, minced
.4 grams saffron
1 tbsp paprika
1 green bell pepper, long strips
2 cups sweet peas
4 cups Jasmine rice
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup clam broth
coarse sea salt
freshly ground pepper
olive oil for cooking






Cooking Time (1 hour)
Using a large frying pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil and cook the shrimp for 5 minutes, turning the shrimp once.
Add salt and pepper.
Set the shrimp aside.
Season the chicken with salt. Heat another 2 tbsp olive oil.
Saute the chicken and chorizo for 10 minutes, mixing once
Set the chicken mixture aside.
Heat 3 tbsp olive oil and saute the onion for 5 minutes until it is caramelized.
Add the green bell pepper, peas and 4 cups of Jasmine rice.
Add 1 cup of clam broth and 4 cups of chicken broth.
Add the saffron and paprika.
Bring the rice to a boil until the broth is almost dried up.
Cover the pan and cook the rice for 20 minutes in low heat.
Mix and fluff the rice, once in a while.
Mix in the chicken, chorizo and shrimp to the rice.