November 10 - Filet Mignon Simplified

Serving filet mignon is the classic way of serving an elegant dinner. But it does not need to be complicated. Freshly ground rock salt and pepper does the trick. Using a wok is one sure way of searing the meat the right way, if you are not opting for grilling or broiling.

I served the filet mignon with simply boiled French fingerling potatoes.

The kick came from the stir fried greens (way too exotic for my kids but the teriyaki-style sauce did the trick).

Filet Mignon

Ingredients

8 oz. filet mignon, pieces

freshly ground rock salt and pepper

12 pieces French fingerling potatoes

6 oz. stir fry greens (may contain Swiss Chard, Rapini Mustards, Kohlrabi, Chicory, Kale, Beet Tops, Amaranth, Bok Choi, Spinach), chopped

6 pieces of think bacon, chopped

3 tbsp soy sauce

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp brown sugar

3 slices of ginger

Cooking Time (35 minutes)

Pat the meat dry.

Sprinkle a generous amount of freshly ground rock salt and pepper on the meat.

In a large pot, boil the unpeeled potatoes with 2 tsp of salt.

Peel the potatoes before serving.

Meanwhile cook the bacon in a wok.

Set the bacon aside.

Using the oil from the bacon, add the ginger.

Cook the filet mignon in high heat.

Sear the meat on all sides.

For a 1.5" thick meat, sear for 11 minutes for medium rare, 13 minutes for medium and 18 minutes for well done.

Place the filet mignon on serving plates.

Let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.

In the same wok, cook the greens with the ginger.

Add the soy sauce, vinegar and sugar.

Cook for 10 minutes.

When serving, top the greens with the bacon.

Serve the filet mignon with the potatoes and stir fried greens.

September 2 - Stuffed Roasted Aubergines

Eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables. My kids are beginning to like it too, since I served the ratatouille for dinner.

My friends and I were served with sumptuous Vietnamese dishes with European flair when we had dinner at Le Colonial. We ordered Aubergines for appetizer. These are eggplants stuffed with crab and shrimp served with shallot frites and nuoc cham.

I would have loved to serve the same thing at home. But since my kids are not fond of crabs yet, I stuffed the aubergines with ground beef instead.

My husband enjoyed the dish, especially the shallot frites, that gave the kick to the dish.

Stuffed Roasted Aubergines

Ingredients

6 European eggplants, halved

olive oil

salt and pepper

3 shallots, thinly sliced

2 lbs ground beef chuck

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped

2 plum tomatoes, chopped

Cooking Time (75 minutes)

Lay the halved eggplants in a large baking pan.

Drizzle 1/2 cup of olive olive.

Season with salt and pepper.

Bake in the oven for 1 hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cook the shallot frites.

Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a large frying pan.

Fry the shallots for about 10 minutes, but be careful not to burn them.

Set the fried shallots in a plate with paper towel to absorb excess oil.

After an hour, cook the ground beef.

The ground beef chuck will have enough fats so you do not need to add oil for cooking.

After 10 minutes, add the chopped garlic.

Season with salt and pepper.

Carefully scoop the flesh out of each half eggplant.

Mix the eggplant flesh with the ground beef.

Cook for another 5 minutes.

Turn off the heat.

Fold in the fresh parsley and tomatoes.

When serving, place 3 tbsp of cooked ground beef in each half eggplant skin.

Serve with shallots frites.

August 30 - Caribbean-Style Pineapple Marinade for Steaks

Here is a healthier option to the usual BBQ marinade of soy sauce and brown sugar - pineapple marinade.

I tried it initially with Flanken-style beef short ribs to bring it to a church banquet. That 4 pound was gone in no time.

I went back to the supermarket to buy some beef chuck steaks to serve the same dish at home.

Do take time to marinade the steaks, at least overnight. You can bake it for an hour at low heat, about 250 degrees Fahrenheit, or simmer it in a shallow pan for the same amount of time.


Steaks with Pineapple Marinade
Ingredients
4 lbs Beef Chuck Center Cut Steak Bone-in
2 cups 100% pineapple juice
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
6 cloves garlic, minced

Preparation Time:
Place the steaks in a large shallow baking pan.
Add the rest of the ingredients, pineapple juice, salt, pepper and garlic.
Marinate the steaks overnight.






Cooking Time (75 minutes)
Cover the baking pan with a foil.
Bake the steaks (marinade included) for about 45 minutes at 250 degrees.
Uncover the pan and let it bake for another 15 minutes.
Grill the steak for 6 minutes on each side to give it some brown color.
Serve with sauteed vegetables and rice.

July 12 - Summertime Potato Salad

This potato salad is very light to the pallet and perfect side dish to any grilled meat or fish.

I used Yukon potatoes so they do not get mushy when boiled. The boiled eggs gave the creamy consistency when added with mayonnaise.

Then adding chopped fresh onions, celery stalks, carrots and green bell pepper give the crunchy and summery texture to the salad.

Summertime Potato Salad

Ingredients

8 Yukon potatoes, boiled with skin on

4 boiled eggs

11 fl. oz mayonnaise (preferably smoked bacon mayonnaise)

dash of salt and pepper

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 cup chopped fresh celery stalks

1 cup chopped fresh carrots

1/2 cup minced Vidalia onion

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

Preparation Time (15 minutes)

Peel the boiled potatoes and cut them into small cubes.

Place the potatoes is a big bowl.

Chop the boiled eggs and add them to the potatoes.

Add the mayonnaise, salt, pepper and brown sugar.

Add the onions, carrots, celery and green bell pepper.

Mix together.

Serve with any grilled meat or fish.

July 11 - Corn and Black Bean Salad

The bad thing about summer holidays would be the tempting servings of hot dogs, funnel cakes, curly fries, ice cream, and more ice cream.

So when it's time to mellow down, this corn and black bean salad takes the guilt away. Serve it on top of fresh greens and any grilled meat.

Corn and Black Bean Salad

Ingredients

5 ears of fresh corn

19 oz can of black beans

1 large Vidalia onion, minced

1 red bell pepper, minced

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

any fresh greens (lettuce, arugula, spinach)

olive oil

Preparation/Cooking Time (1 hour)

Boil the fresh corn for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a wok.

Saute the onions for 3 minutes.

Add the beans, salt and pepper and cook for another 3 minutes.

Transfer the beans in a big bowl.

Add the minced red bell pepper.

Add some chopped fresh basil.

Once the corn are cooked, heat the grill and grill the corn for 15 minutes.

Shuck the corn kernels and add it to the bean mixture.

When ready to serve, serve it on top of fresh greens.

Serve it with any grilled meat.

July 9 - Honey Glazed Grilled Shrimp

You know that summer is here when I grill most of the time for our dinner. Here is another instant hit for my family, honey glazed grilled shrimps.


Even when serving it with grilled vegetables like asparagus, Portobello mushroom and onions, there is still enough tummy space for dessert.

Honey Glazed Grilled Shrimp

Ingredients
25 counts jumbo Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 fresh lemon, squeezed
salt and pepper
olive oil
2 tbsp creamed honey
5 bamboo sticks
For the grilled vegetables:
25 fresh asparagus stalks
2 large Portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 large Vidalia onion, cut in half horizontally

Preparation/Cooking Time (30 minutes)
Arrange the shrimps in a plate in a single layer.
Drizzle with lemon juice.
Dash some salt and pepper.
Spread 2 tbsp creamed honey.
Then drizzle some olive oil.
Let it stand for 15 minutes.
On another large plate, arrange the vegetables.
Dash some salt and pepper.
Then drizzle some olive oil, as well.
Heat the grill.
Place 5 shrimps on each bamboo stick.
Arrange the shrimps and vegetables on the grill.
Grill for 5 minutes on each side.

June 14 - A Delectable Mushroom Sauce for Steaks And Salmon

Creating mushroom sauce without the use of Campbell's cream of mushroom is a challenge.

Kids do not like a strong mushroom taste. So when preparing the sauce with thinly sliced fresh button mushroom, I tried not to overcook the mushroom.

It's great with filet mignon and salmon, as well.

Salmon with Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients
3 Alaskan King Salmon filet (0.4 oz each)
or 3 Filet Mignon steaks (0.4 oz each)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, minced
10 oz fresh button mushrooms, thinly sliced
dash of pepper
1 cup water
2 tbsp brown sugar
8 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp flour
olive oil for cooking



Cooking Time (15 minutes)
Heat up an iron griddle on high heat.
Place 3 tbsp olive oil.
Cook the filet mignon and/or salmon for 7 minutes on each side.
In a medium size saucepan, heat 3 tbsp olive oil.
Saute the garlic and onion for 5 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and saute for another 5 minutes.
Mix the flour, soy sauce and brown sugar with 1 cup of water.
Pour it on the mushroom and stir consistently until the sauce is thick.
Add a dash of freshly ground pepper to taste.
Serve over filet mignon and/or salmon filet.

May 22 - A Birthday Cake for Harry

It is always a delight to bake a birthday cake. My husband always gets one for his birthday. He loves cakes especially one with a thick, white sugar frosting.

But this year, I became more adventurous and baked a strawberry gelatin cake with custard filling.

Strawberry Gelatin Cake with Custard

Ingredients

For the cake:

Duncan French vanilla cake mix

eggs

vegetable oil

For the custard filling:

3/4 cup brown sugar

4 tbsp flour

2 cups milk

5 egg yolks

For the Strawberry gelatin:

2 envelopes Strawberry Jello

2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup cold water

20 fresh strawberries, thinly sliced

Cooking Time

Bake the cake as directed using a 10" spring form round cake pan.

In a small pot, mix all the ingredients for the custard filling.

Bring it gently to a boil.

Stir constantly until it thickens.

Remove from the heat and let it cool.

In another small pot, boil 2 cups of water.

Pour the Jello and stir until it has completely dissolved.

Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 cup of cold water.

Chill the gelatin in the refrigerator.

Spread the custard filling evenly on top of the white cake.

Arrange the fresh strawberries in a single layer on top of the custard filling.

Once the gelatin is cold enough, pour it gently on top of the fresh strawberries.

Chill the cake in the refrigerator until the gelatin is firm.

May 1 - Muffins for Breakfast

This is the first breakfast that I have dared to serve muffins. I shy away from baking cupcakes and cakes.

This muffin recipe though (except the brown sugar), looks healthy enough, so I gave it a try.

The kids loved it. They want to have muffins for breakfast again!


Strawberry Banana Nut Muffin


Ingredients
1 cup strawberries, chopped
1 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 ripe banana, sliced
2 large eggs
8 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts



Preparation and Cooking Time (45 minutes)
Mix together 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 cup strawberries in a large bowl.
Add the banana, lemon juice, eggs and olive oil.
Using a handheld blender, puree the fruit mixture.
Add the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and mix together.
Fold in the chopped walnuts and 2 tbsp brown sugar.
Pour the mixture equally in a muffin/cupcake tin lined with muffin liners.
Baked for 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

April 26 - Red Kidney Bean Stew

Except for the canned baked beans, I do not normally serve beans or legumes at home. But lately, since we are trying to eat healthier, I have been serving more dark green vegetables and legumes.

This red kidney bean stew dish is simple and the taste is not exotic. Use fresh tomatoes and peppers to give this dish some zap.


Red Kidney Bean Stew

Ingredients
1 package (12 oz) dried red kidney beans (soaked in water for at least 5 hours, then drained)
10 cups water
3 tbsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 lb pork loin cubes
4 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, minced





Cooking Time (2 hours)
In a large pot, cook the beans with 10 cups of water.
Let it simmer for an hour.
Add the garlic, onion, pepper, tomatoes and pork cubes.
Add the salt and pepper.
Let it cook for another hour until much of the liquid is gone.
Serve warm with white rice.

April 2 - Yellow Split Pea with Kale

When my kids ordered Lentil with Chili soup, I realized that it's time to serve lentil dish at home.

I grew up being served with mung bean soup (ginisang munggo) together with grilled chicken and white rice. Mung bean soup is normally prepared with dark green vegetables, like bitter melon leaves (ampalaya) or moringa leaves (malunggay).

The North American version of this dish is the split pea soup. Yellow split pea with kale is thicker than soup, though. Like the Philippine version of mung bean soup, it is best serve on top of white rice.

Yellow Split Pea with Kale

Ingredients

11 oz yellow split peas (soak in 5 cups of water for about 5 hours)

3 cups of chicken stock

5 cloves of garlic, minced

1 large onion, minced

2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped

3 cups of kale leaves, chopped

optional seasoning:

1 tsp caraway seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1.2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

Cooking Time (1.5 hours)

In a large pot, cook the yellow split pea together with the 5 cups of water that you used for soaking.

Add the 3 cups of chicken stock and let it boil until the pea is soft and mushy, about 45 minutes.

Add the garlic, onion, tomatoes and kale.

Continue to cook in low heat.

To add more flavor, add the optional seasonings of caraway, coriander, mustard and cumin seeds.

March 28 - Egg Burrito with a Twist

I serve eggs mainly during the weekends for breakfast. Once in a while we have bacon and eggs (scrambled and fried), plain boiled eggs, or egg omelet (vegetable pizza, as my kids call it).

This morning, I tried the egg burritos. It's like the serving an egg omelet but burrito style.

You can pretty much put anything as a filling. You can make it as cheesy with ham and cheese, or Spanish style with sausage, tomatoes and onions. Either way, I am pretty sure you would enjoy having one for breakfast, too.


Egg Burrito

Ingredients
7 eggs to make 4 large burritos
butter for frying

Filling:
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large sweet onion, minced
2 large tomatoes, chopped
10 link (Applegate Farm) chicken apple sausage, chopped
Grated cheese (Parmesan)









Cooking Time (30 minutes)
In a large pan, heat the olive oil.
Saute the garlic and onion.
Add the tomatoes.
Add the sausage.
Saute for 10 minutes and leave it cooking in low heat.
In a large, round pan, heat some butter.
Pour in some whisked egg and spread around the pan.
Cover the pan and cook each burrito for about 3 minutes.
Place the burrito on a large plate.
Put a serving of the filling on the left side of the egg burrito.
Sprinkle some grated cheese on top.
Roll up the burrito.

March 16 - Passing a Serving of Creamed Spinach

When my kids were much younger, they fear anything that is red or green on their plate. Fried rice was unappreciated. Mixed vegetables dishes were a no-no.

But with much prodding (from Mommy, of course), broccoli and spinach became their favorites.

Creamed Spinach with Carrots

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, minced

1/2 cup olive oil

2 chicken bullion

10 oz. baby spinach, chopped

8 medium carrots, chopped

1/2 cup cream

4 cups water

Cooking Time (1 hour)

Heat the olive oil in a large pan.

Saute the garlic and onion until the onion is caramelized.

Add the baby spinach, 4 cups of water and chicken bullion.

Cook for 20 minutes in medium heat.

Add the carrots and cook for another 20 minutes.

Add the cream.

March 5 - A Comforting Bowl of Shrimp Gumbo

One Southern dish that I have learned to like is shrimp gumbo.

This dish is not too appealing (being a thick, dark soup). But when it's cold and snowing outside, this warm dish is comforting.

Shrimp Gumbo

Ingredients

3 tbsp butter

1 lb small pod okra, sliced

1 carrot, diced

6 small zucchini, diced

1 large onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

4 tbsp oil

4 tbsp flour

6 cups water

1 dry sweet sausage, cut-up

1 tbsp basil

1 tbsp thyme

1/4 cup parsley

4 bay leaves

4 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp salt

1 tsp ground pepper
1 lb shrimp, cut-up

additional thickening:

4 tbsp flour mixed with 1/4 cup water

Cooking time (45 minutes)

In a large non-stick pan, saute the vegetables
with 3 tbsp butter.

In a large stainless pot, heat the oil and flour and stir constantly until it is dark in color.

Slowly add 6 cups of water (1 cup at a time, then stir)

Add the sausage.

Add the sauteed vegetables.

Add the thyme, parsley, basil and bay leaves.

Add the soy sauce, salt and pepper.

In the last 5 minutes, add the shrimp.

If the dish is not thick enough, add the thickening mixture of flour and water. Serve warm with white rice.

January 31 - Roasted Cornish Hen in Red Wine Sauce

I like serving Cornish hens even if they tend to be more bony for kids.

Cornish hen is tastier and the serving portion is smaller.

It is less fatty, too, so you do not have the extra grease when baking or roasting it.


Cornish Hen in Red Wine Sauce
Ingredients
2 Cornish Hens, cut in half
2 tbsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup red wine
3 carrots, peeled
3 beets, peeled
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced






Preparation Time (1 Day)
Combine the salt, pepper, sugar and red wine.
Pour over the hens and marinate for at least a day or overnight.

Cooking Time (90 minutes)
In a large roasting pan, place the hens with the skin side facing down.
Pour the marinade on the hens.
Arrange the onion, carrots and beets in the pan as well.
Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Turn the chicken and bake for an hour at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, occasionally basting the hens with the red wine sauce.

January 19 - Seafood Chowder for Cold Nights

Winter nights are good excuse for hot soups and stews. It's our turn to make seafood chowder.

Chowder has the main ingredients of browned bacon, onions and potatoes. As for a seafood chowder, you add Old Bay seasoning, a familiar seasoning for any seafood dish. You can go wild with the amount of Old Bay seasoning that you put in, depending on how hot and spicy you want your chowder to be.

My kids (and husband!) are not too daring with seafood yet. You could add clams, scallops, and fish in your chowder. I could only put shrimps in mine :(

Seafood Chowder

Ingredients

4 pieces of bacon, cut in small pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 white onion, minced

2 celery hearts, sliced thinly, about 4 cups

4 carrots, diced

16 fluid oz clam juice

26 oz chopped tomatoes

2 tbsp salt

4 bay leaves

4 tbsp Old Bay seasoning

3 cups water

corn kernels from 3 corn ears

8 buttercream potatoes, diced

20 pieces shrimp, shelled and deveined

Cooking Time (1 hour)

In a big pot, brown the bacon.

Add the garlic and onion and saute until caramelized.

Add the celery and cook for about 10 minutes to make it tender.

Add the carrots and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the clam juice, chopped tomatoes, salt, bay leaves, Old Bay seasoning,and water.

After 10 minutes, add the potatoes and corn.

In the last 5 minutes, add the shrimps.

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.

October 21 - Zesty Roasted Chicken for Dinner

Injecting the marinade beneath the skin is a technique I use when preparing my turkey for Thanksgiving. This helps the turkey to remain moist and tender after roasting.

I prepared the chicken the same way and we nearly didn't have leftover for the next meal. Even the chicken breast was tasty and moist.

Roasted Chicken

Ingredients
1 fresh whole chicken (4lbs)
1 sweet onion
ginger root
Marinade:
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
6 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tbsp molasses
4 lemons, freshly squeezed
2 tbsp hoisin sauce






Preparation Time (at least an hour)
Prepare the marinade.
Loosen the chicken skin from the meat
Inject the marinade under the chicken skin.
Marinade for one hour or overnight.








Cooking Time (1 hour and 45 minutes)
Place the onion and ginger root inside the chicken cavity.
Tie the chicken legs to keep them in place.
Use the oven broiler pan to roast the chicken.
Add water on the bottom pan.
Bake the chicken at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
Lower the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for another 75 minutes.

October 19 - Basic Ingredients of a Good Corn Chowder

My favorite chowder would be New England Clam Chowder. Even if my kids like it, they still do not believe that it has "clams". So corn chowder became a good compromise for me to cook at home.

From all the chowders I have tasted, I think the good combination of butter, bacon, potatoes, onions and cream make the chowder.

I used a thick slab of bacon that I got from the butcher shop. It is more meat the fat.

Cooking the bacon until it's browned, cooking the onion until it's caramelized and then lightly browning the potatoes, gave the chowder its unique, comforting taste...

Corn Chowder

Ingredients

3 tbsp butter

3 thick slabs of bacon, minced

1 medium sweet onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups of diced celery stalks

2 cups of diced carrots

4 fingerling potatoes, diced

fresh corn kernels from 3 corn ears

1 cup of cream

4 cups of water

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp thyme leaves

Cooking Time (45 minutes)

Heat the butter in a big pot.

Brown the bacon.

Add the onions and cook until caramelized.

Add the carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the potatoes and garlic and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the corn and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the water, bay leaves and thyme leaves and

let it boil.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the cream and simmer until all the vegetables are tender.

September 3 - Celebrate with Rib Eye Steaks

Steaks are served at home only for special occasions. I got rib eye Angus steaks from a local supermarket 2 miles from Split Rock Resort where we are staying. I usually serve steaks with a potato dish but have used up all the potatoes for the potato gratin I prepared last night.

The kids are not used to special sauces or garnishing on their steaks yet. Apart from the marinade, I just grilled the steaks with butter. A tender, succulent, simple tasting steak is more satisfying than one that is smothered with an exotic (more often, difficult to prepare) sauce.

Rib Eye Steak with Rosemary and Thyme
Ingredients
3 tbsp ketchup
3 tbsp soy sauce
6 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp sea salt
2 rib eye steaks (1 lb each)
butter for grilling




Preparation Time
Mix the first 9 ingredients together.
Pour over the steaks and marinade overnight.

Cooking Time
Heat butter in a frying pan or grill.
Grill steaks over medium heat.
Cook each side for 8 minutes for medium rare. When serving to kids, cut into slices and serve with vegetables, rice, or dinner rolls.