Food Posts on Instagram

Hello there! It's been a busy month or so with our Euro trip which I haven't updated you about. Anyway, I've been posting plenty of food posts on Instagram. One of them was even posted on Gastropost. Check it out here!

Follow me on Instagram for more daily posts =) @janapearls

Day 4: fun!

I'm doing this Photo-A-Day Challenge on Instagram and I'm having so much fun so far in doing some of the daily photo projects. For Day 4, I did some baking for a friends' daughter's 2nd birthday. Her party was pink lemonade themed. Here are some of our photos on Instagram. Love, love, love! Beautiful pink lemonade cake by The Caketress.

eggplant omelette (tortang talong)

Eggplant omelette or Tortang talong in Filipino is a popular Filipino dish. It's my first time making it so I had to google a recipe and found this really interesting food blog. Thanks tinybites.ca for the step-by-step and pictures =) Click here if you're interested! Eggplants are rich in folic acid and potassium and helps block free radicals. Delicious and healthy!

Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants
2 eggs
salt and pepper
cooking oil

Directions:
1. Using your oven, set it to broil on high. Put the eggplants in a rack and make sure to turn them to broil all sides.
2. After all sides are broiled, remove the skin.
3. Using a knife, cut the eggplant in strips, leaving the top part and opening the eggplant like a fan
4. Scramble the eggs and add salt and pepper. Dip the eggplant into the egg mixture.
5. Fry on medium heat and turn until both sides are cooked.
6. Enjoy!

hoisin beef with vegetables

Hoisin Beef with Vegetables

It's been awhile since I posted a recipe, so here's a quick recipe for you :)

Ingredients:

beef tenderloin cut into strips

1 cup of snowpeas

1/2 of yellow bell pepper cut into strips

2 carrots cut into strips

1 medium tomato cut into cubes

1 medium onion 

3 cloves of garlic minced

2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce

1/4 cup of soy sauce

salt and pepper to taste

cooking oil

Directions:

1. Marinate the strips of beef in half of the soy sauce, salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. In a medium pan, add some cooking oil. Set on medium heat, saute garlic and onions. Add the tomatoes. Add the beef and cook until it's brown on all sides. 

3. Add the vegetables and stir fry. 

4. Add the remaining soy sauce and the hoisin sauce

5. Serve with rice. Enjoy!

recipe: easy pan-fried salmon and baby bokchoy

Need a quick and easy lunch recipe? Try this.

Ingredients:

baby bokchoy
garlic
kikkoman soy sauce
salmon
salt and pepper
vegetable oil

Directions:

Season the salmon with salt and pepper. A little bit of cayenne pepper could be added for flavour.
In a medium pan, add vegetable oil and set at medium heat. Add the salmon and cook until golden brown.

In a separate pan, cook the garlic in a little bit of oil. Add the baby bokchoy. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the soy sauce and serve with the salmon.

Enjoy!

Red velvet brownies = Love!

Why give in to commercializing this day when homemade baked goods mean so much more?? =) Here's a really simple and easy Red Velvet Brownie recipe for all of you!

Red Velvet Brownies

ingredients:

Brownies:
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1-1/2 c. sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 oz. liquid red food coloring
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
4 T. butter, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 c. sifted powdered sugar

directions:

Preheat oven to 325°. Line a 9x9 baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang so you can lift out the brownies when they're done. Spray foil with nonstick spray.

In a large saucepan over low heat, stir together butter and chocolate until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and whisk in the sugar and eggs. Stir in the vanilla, salt, and food coloring. Sift flour and baking powder over mixture and stir to blend well. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top springs back when touched and a tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool completely in pan on rack.

For the frosting: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and powdered sugar. Remove the brownies from the pan using the foil and cover with the frosting. Cut into bite size squares to serve.

from A Farm Girl's Dabbles

 I used a heart-shaped cookie cutter  for the shape and cream cheese frosting on top 

My Instagram collage. Love, love, love!

cupid's creme brulee

Haven't had a food post in a while. Haven't really cooked anything new or interesting either, but that doesn't prevent me from checking out other food bloggers who have amazing recipes and things to share. Hostess with the Mostess have the most amazing V-day recipes and decor ideas. This heart-topped creme brulee caught my eye. Visit the site now for the recipe and DIY!

image from the hostessblog.com No copyright infringement intended

UPDATE

Following the recipe and DIY, I made my own version. I didn't have a heart-shaped silicon mold which would have made it cuter. Just to show you how easy this recipe is, I made four of these in less than an hour. Try it now! Enjoy =)

unique food: nian gao

As a kid, I remember knowing when it's Chinese New Year because my mom would buy plenty of niángāo or tikoy during this time of the year. Niángāo is made from glutinous rice flour and is very popular in the Chinese community in the Philippines. It has been said that eating niángāo during this time of the year will bring good luck.  My bestfriend found this at the Asian market, imported from the popular Chinese community in the Philippines called Binondo . I haven't had tikoy in a while  so I was very excited to get the chance to cook it again =)

 We usually would dip it in egg and fry it. I'm not sure I did this right. I'm sure my mom would know how to do this better, but it was good nevertheless =)

Happy Chinese New Year to all of you and may you all have the best of luck this Year of the Water Dragon!

garlic shrimp in coconut milk

I had fun playing around with this recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
12-20 pieces of large shrimps peeled
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of butter
1 small ginger thinly sliced
1/3 cup of coconut milk
1/2 of a chicken bouillon cube
a dash of cayenne pepper and salt

Directions:
In medium heat, add the butter to the skillet. When melted, add the minced garlic. Add the shrimp to the skillet and stir about 4 minutes until the shrimp is cooked. You may add a bit of cayenne pepper and salt at this point. Add the ginger and chicken cube. Pour the coconut milk and continue to stir.

Serve over rice.

Serves two.

bacon and egg pasta

Okay, I'm on a roll and since I'm off today, I want to share another recipe with you. Here you go...

Ingredients:
250g of spaghettini (about half a bag)
6 bacon strips cut into smaller pieces
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
3 eggs
1/4 cup of texmex (mozarella and cheddar)
salt and pepper
parsley for garnish

Directions:

Cook the spaghettini according to package directions. Boil one of the eggs with the pasta. Drain when cooked. Mash the egg in smaller pieces and add a little bit of salt and pepper.

Beat two eggs and add the salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon for about 10 minutes. Add the garlic. Sautee for about 2 minutes. Add the pasta. Stir over gentle heat until well mixed then add the egg mixture. Continue mixing well until the eggs are lightly cooked and creamy. Serve immediately and garnish with the mashed boiled egg, cheese and parsley. Maybe served with garlic bread.

Serves two.

maple-glazed chicken breast with vegetables

 It's been so long since my last food update, I owe you another recipe. Try this delicious maple-glazed chicken for dinner. It's one of those less than 10-ingredient recipes you can make in less than an hour. Here are the ingredients:

garlic
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
2 teaspoons of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
a dash of pepper
1/2 of an onion
3 medium carrots
1 zucchini
2 boneless chicken breasts cut into strips
(you may also use red and green pepper instead of carrots and zucchini)

Directions:

Marinate the chicken breast in salt and pepper and set aside.

In a skillet, add the oil and sautee the garlic and onions. Add the vegetables. Add the soy sauce and maple syrup. Set the vegetables aside when cooked.

Using the same skillet, cook the chicken breast until they're medium brown. You may add the sugar at this point. You may also add additional soy sauce and maple syrup as you please.

Serve chicken and vegetables over rice. Enjoy!

watermelon lemonade

Looking for a refreshing drink? Try this!


Watermelon Lemonade Recipe:

6 cups of watermelon
1 cup of water
3 tablespoons of sugar
1/2 cup of lemon juice

Preparation:

Remove as many seeds as you can from the watermelon flesh. Place water and watermelon in the blender and blend until smooth. Add the sugar and lemon juice. Refrigerate until it's chilled.

Although, what's more refreshing than this??

yummy shrimp and tomato pasta

 This recipe is so easy, you'd be eating this yummy pasta by lunch! The ingredients are simple:

1 bag of spaghettini

1 bag of shrimp

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tomato, diced

1/2 cup of chicken broth

2 tablespoons of "I can't believe it's not butter" margarine

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Set aside. 

2. In a medium pan, add the 2 tablespoons of margarine (or butter). I love this particular brand because it tastes like butter, but it's margarine. Haha!

3. Saute the garlic until medium brown. 

4. Add the shrimp and cook until it's brown. Add a little bit of pepper and a tiny dash of salt. 

5. Add the tomatoes. 

6. Add the chicken both to add flavour. Saute until the sauce is thick.

Serve over pasta and enjoy!

easy tuna salad

I learned how to make this Tuna Salad Recipe from my mom. It's great because you can eat it with your favourite greens/veggies and you can also use this on your sandwich as a filling. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

2 cans of tuna

6 tablespoons of light mayonnaise

1 medium carrot, grated

1/2 cup of shredded cheese

2 tablespoons of pickle relish

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Can be served with cucumbers, greens and tomatoes with Asian Salad dressing. You can also add almonds or walnuts for added texture. 

Enjoy!

rainbow cake and pinwheels cupcakes :)

Haven't had a food update in a while....so today, I whipped something up, just for you =)

Ever since I saw Martha Stewart's Rainbow Cake recipe, I knew I had to try it someday. And boy how happy it made me =)

If you want to do this the easy way, (like I did) use white cake mix and Williams Sonoma's decorating pastes in primary colours. 

 I used a tiny 4inch cake pan and sliced them into two halves, which in the end yield two tiny cakes.

 My uneven layers haha but still, how much do you love these layers????

Excuse my messed up icing job, I ran out of icing for ambitiously thinking I can use one batch for two cakes! I love this rainbow cake!

love, love, love!

Click for Martha Stewart's recipe! Although, as I said, I used a white cake mix with homemade cream cheese icing. I also made these cupcakes today for a gender neutral baby shower. I love pinwheels =)

comfort food

It's been raining almost everyday in Toronto but I refuse to be bogged down by this almost depressing weather. In times like this, it's nice to stay in and indulge in your favourite comfort foods. For me, it's cupcakes =) How can this sunny batch not bring a smile on your face, even on a gloomy day, like today?

 I haven't cooked in a while, so here's a good old recipe for Filipino style chicken noodle soup!

 Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

4 eggs

3 cups of pasta (macaroni or shells)

5 pieces of chicken hotdogs (cut lengthwise and into half-moons)

2 medium sized carrots (cut into half circles)

3 stalks  of celery

1 whole onion minced

4 cloves of garlic minced

2 tablespoons of butter

4 cups of milk

3 cups of chicken broth

3 chicken bouillon cubes

Directions:

1. Place the chicken breast in a large pot with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, or until the chicken is cooked and tender. 

2. Drain the chicken. Save 3 cups of the broth in a bowl. Use a strainer to remove the fat and chicken bits. Cut the chicken into strips and set aside

3. In a separate pot, cook the pasta. In another pot, bring the eggs and the carrots to a boil. Drain and set aside. 

4. Add the butter in a pan on medium heat. When melted, saute the garlic and onion. Add the hotdogs and chicken strips and cook until brown, and almost crispy. 

5. Transfer in a large pot. Add the milk, chicken broth and chicken bouillon cubes. 

6. Add the celery, carrots, hardboiled eggs and pasta.

So, go ahead. Bring your umbrella and enjoy the weather!

random shot from Madison Square Park

fried bananas

Plantain bananas just like regular bananas is rich in potassium which is very good for the heart and prevents heart attacks. It is however, lower in sugar content, which makes it even better than regular bananas. It is also rich in magnesium, phosphate, a good source of Vitamins A, B6 and C which help maintain vision, good skin, and build immunity against diseases. 

You can simply fry them or, in this case, roll them in brown sugar before frying. The only thing missing, is the ice cream. Enjoy!

how to make a ruffle cake

Source

How much do you love these ruffle cakes? The very talented ladies of Sweet and Saucy Shop had put together a video to show how you can make them. Watch! 

love, love, love!!

Recipe for Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 10 large egg whites
• 4 cups (8 sticks or 2 pounds) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Place sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers; it should feel completely smooth.
2. Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. Don't worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add vanilla, and beat just until combined.
4. Switch to the paddle attachment, and beat on the lowest speed to eliminate any air pockets, about 5 minutes. If using buttercream within several hours, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature in a cool environment. Or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator, up to 3 days. Before using, bring buttercream to room temperature, and beat on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment until smooth, about 5 minutes.
   
   
   Recipe from MarthaStewart.com

yummy rainbow cookies

Actually, the recipe calls for chocolate chips, after all, it is a chocolate chip cookie recipe. But I don't have chocolate chips so I used rainbow coloured candy coated chocolate bits.

Here's the recipe: 

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (or in this case, candy coated chocolate bits)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Sift flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

Cream together melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended.

Beat in vanilla, egg and egg yolk until light and creamy.

Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon.
On a baking sheet, drop spoonfuls and make sure they are at least 3 inches apart.
Bake for 15-17 minutes.


Makes 24 cookies. 

I think I need a tall glass of milk!

updates

So much for attempting to blog daily! Sigh. Regular day job gets in the way of everything =P

Anyway, I think my rock candy experiment will take longer than anticipated. I mean look at this....

 It looks like it's starting to form huh? But it's been TWO days! I have to remind myself to have patience!