Adobo With Annato Oil ( Adobo Sa Atsuete)

The first time I tasted this type of Adobo was during my Brother-in-law's wake. Yeah I know, I started with wake but I won't talk about death, I got you on this. I will talk and I will write about food. I guess death and cancer is a reserved topic and I will share it when the right time comes. My bro-in-law was from Cavite City and until now my sister, his wife resides there. So, from time to time we get to visit her and we actually enjoy the food around the place. Actually, its a small, old city which is very near to Manila. But the food is so... I don't know how to describe it.. historical, traditional, unique..mostly delicious... and today, I will share another type of Adobo. We call it Adobo Sa Atsuete. I combine chicken and pork and its always delicious that way.

Printable Recipe
Adobo Sa Atsuete ( Annato Oil )

Ingredients:

1 kg pork belly slices

1 whole chicken cut into 12 pcs

3/4 cup apple cider vinegar

8 tbsp annato oil or 2 tbsp annato powder with 8 tbsp oil

8 tbsp chopped garlic

3 pcs bay leaves

1 to 2 tsp salt

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tsp peppercorn

4 pcs chicken liver 

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup water

Direction:

Marinate the chicken pieces with the ff: salt, fish sauce, apple cider, peppercorns and bay leaves for 4 hours or overnight.

In a saucepan, put the chicken liver with 3 cups chicken broth. Let it boil then cooked the chicken liver in a simmering mode for 30 minutes.

Then proceed on making a chicken liver puree by using your blender or you can just mash with the aid of a fork. Set aside the liver puree and set aside also the chicken broth that you use for cooking the chicken liver.

In a wok or sauce pan, put annato oil and fry the chicken and pork by batches. Fry them just to take out the raw look or pinkness.

Next, using the same wok or sauce pan, fry the garlic until the aroma comes out and put the fried pork together with the marinate sauce. Add the remaining chicken broth that you use for cooking the chicken liver. Cover and cooked by simmering for 45 minutes.

Now, add the fried chicken pieces and the chicken liver puree/mashed. Cook for another 45 minutes or until you reach the desired consistency. Add 1 cup water only if necessary. Serve and Enjoy.
Note: How do you make Annato oil? Put together 8 tbsp annato seeds and 8 tbsp oil, heat in a medium fire for 2 minutes, dont burn please. Now you have the oil, strain and use to cook your adobo 

Photo above was cooked by Tita Eva, sister-in-law of my brother-in-law. She is a great cook, and she does pure, authentic Cavite Cuisine. I miss her food and her cooking. Adobo sa Atsuete de Cavite City.

Welcome to Cavite City 

I remember the tree, we use to have one in the farm. I spent the first 6 years of my life in the province, in a very rural area.

The Annato powder in a pack, I also use this before but now I prefer the seeds.

The seeds in a pack

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Thai Mango Cream Cheese Muffins

Thank you Andrea of Scraptastic Saturday for featuring my Bell Pepper Relleno

I love Thai Mangoes and the supply here in Singapore is abundant, so its cheaper too. I have eaten enough or shall I say I enjoyed it already as a fruit. Last time I made a cake so I thought why not I make muffins with cream cheese and white chocolate. Its not bad after all, mangoes are versatile too. The muffins  turned out to be that damn delicious and by morning, they were all gone.

Printable Recipe
Thai Mango Cream Cheese Muffins

Ingredients for the filling:

1 block cream cheese at least 250 gms

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 egg 

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup white mini chocolate chips

Ingredients for the muffins:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup mashed ripe Thai Mango

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup oil

1 cup caster sugar

1 egg

1 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup white mini chocolate chips, divided into two (1/2 and 1/4)

Direction:

Pre heat oven to 200 C or 400 F. Prepare the muffin pans.

Beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add egg and vanilla, continue beating until well combined.

Stir in chocolate chips, transfer to a bowl and chill until needed.

Whisk together flour,baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together coconut oil and sugar. 

Add the egg, yogurt, milk, and vanilla. Continue whisking until well combined.

Add the flour mixture and mashed ripe Thai Mango,whisk until just combined.
Add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips.Whisk until just combined.

Proceed on spooning both of filling and muffins batter in a cupcake liner. 

Spoon muffin batter followed by the filling and then muffin batter again.

Garnish with white mini chocolate chips on top.

Bake for 5 minutes at 200 C then turn the temperature to 180 C and continue baking for 12-15 mins.

Let it cool slightly and serve. Best eaten when warm or room temperature.

I will make these munchkins again and again. The combination of cream cheese with white chocolates and mangoes is so good and out of ordinary.

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Chicken Adobo WithTurmeric Coconut Milk (Adobo sa Luyang Dilaw)

Adobo again, really? yes and we don't get tired of it. In fact we have different versions of adobo. I have the original one, in case you are interested, kindly click the word Adobo and it will bring you to my recipe. I have mastered 3 types of it and  today I am going to share the version which uses Luyang Dilaw or Fresh Turmeric. As I go over, reading and tracking the origin, it went back to the original Adobo but later on people from different region developed their own style. There are 3 provinces in the Philippines which are known for their authentic style of Adobo using Turmeric: Batangas, Laguna and Cavite. Although I first tasted it at home when I was little as my father would cook it every once in a while. I am from the town of Calapan Oriental Mindoro and its just a ferry boat ride  from Batangas, approximately 45 minutes. I never like it before until one time my co-worker who is a native of Batangas brought a home-cooked version in the office. When I tasted it again, my memories went back and I remember those times in the farm when I was little. Yes, I became so obsessed that I thought I really have to know and cook Adobo Sa Luyang Dilaw in my kitchen and so I won..

Printable Recipe

Adobo Sa Luyang Dilaw (Turmeric)

Ingredients:

1 to 1/2 kg whole chicken cut into 12 pieces

6 cloves garlic, peeled

3 bay leaves

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tsp peppercorns

2 tbsp turmeric powder

1 piece fresh turmeric about 2 inches in size

1 to 2 tsp salt

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup chicken broth

1 large red bell pepper, sliced into strips

3 tbsp coconut oil

Direction:

Marinate the chicken with the ff ingredients: 6 cloves garlic, peeled, 3 bay leaves, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tsp peppercorns, 2 tbsp turmeric powder, 1 piece fresh turmeric about 2 inches in size, 1 tsp salt for at least 4 hours.

Next, using large sauce pan or wok, put the 3 tbsp coconut oil, fry the chicken by batches. Fry until the color turns white or no trace of pinkness or being raw but not totally cook.

Then put the fried chicken pieces together with the marinate sauce into a large saucepan. Cook over medium high heat and bring the mixture to a boil ( note: at this point don't cover ).

Once it boils, add the coconut milk and bell pepper. Then turn the fire into a simmering mode.

Cover and cook for 50 minutes to one hour. Add the chicken broth when necessary.

Once you reach the desired consistency, then its done. Serve and enjoy!

Oh look at that..theres coconut milk and turmeric and you know both of these ingredients contain health benefits. But of course, don't eat too much rice. In this case, I cant guard myself on that, my excuse is I am having brown rice anyway.

Wondering what turmeric is? Kindly look..Don't you know that you can make a Turmeric Facial? Trust me, it works well: 1/3 tsp turmeric powder, 1 egg white, 1 tbsp oats- Blend all these ingredients. Apply the mixture on your face. Scrub gently in circular motion. Leave on for 15 minutes.Wash off with cold water. It cleanse and tightens the sagging skin and makes us young looking.

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Bell Pepper Relleno

Thank you Andrea of Scraptastic Saturday Party for the feature of my Chocolate Cream Cheese Muffins

If you check Webster or Wiki. Relleno means stuffed Bell Pepper. In this case, I can not trace how did Relleno came to the Philippines. There is no recorded article that I can find as of this time. I will just presume that we got it during the reign of Spanish Regime in our country. In the Philippines, we have varieties of Relleno such as Relyenong Bangus ( Milkfish ) and Relyenong Manok ( Chicken ). Between the three, the most popular is Relyenong Bangus. This Bell Pepper Relleno is not that popular then and there are two ways to cook it: Bake or Fry, and I do both. I prefer the fried ones but it takes more time so baking is just the easy way.

Printable Recipe

Bell Pepper Relleno

Ingredients:

1 kg ground pork

6 pcs cut in half, slightly roasted, medium red and green bell pepper

2 tbsp oil

3 tbsp grated garlic

1 cup chopped white onion

1 cup chopped red and green bell pepper

1 to 1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 cup grated queso de bola or parmesan

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp pepper flakes

2 pcs bay leaves

3 tbsp cornstarch

4 eggs

Direction:

Prepare the bell pepper: wash, cut in half and clean. 

Slightly roast them or you can just use the way it is.

In a wok or sauce pan, put the oil and saute garlic and onion until the aroma comes out.

Add the ground pork and seasoning: salt, black pepper, pepper flakes, bay leaves, paprika and 1/4 cup cheese.Cooked in a medium high fire for 20 minutes.Let it cool

Next, add the eggs and cornstarch, mix well and proceed on stuffing.

Stuff the bell pepper with the egg cornstarch cooked pork mixture.Garnish with the remaining cheese.

Arrange properly on a tray. Bake at 200 C for 40 minutes.
Or you can also fry them, I prefer the fried ones but baking saves time. 
Please note, if you plan to cook it by baking, Roast the bell pepper first, I do that on our stove. I just wait for the color to turn slightly dark or wait for the aroma to come out.

Serve and enjoy!

 I love fresh bell peppers, I can eat them raw...its crisp, sweet and juicy.

 Here is the mixture, after sauteing, transfer to a bowl, let it cool to room temperature, add the egg and cornstarch.

 At first, I wanted to fry them, but I have other things to do so I decided to just bake. Pls note, if you plan to cook it by baking, Roast the bell pepper first, I do that on our stove. I just wait for the color to turn slightly dark or wait for the aroma to come out.

 Well, to add cheese is such a bright idea, I only have left over Queso De Bola so I decided to use it and  the taste is also great. Of course, the combination of Mozzarella and cheddar is the best.

Here they are, I've made 12 pcs and Relleno is a favorite. Fried or Baked Relleno Bell Pepper is a classic and a favorite in my family. It smells good and taste good too. And you know we can finish this batch of Relleno in one sitting.

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Chocolate Cream Cheese Muffins

Thank you Helen of  the Lazy Gastronome. host of Whats For Dinner Sunday  and Thank you Ladies of Pretty Pintastic Party for featuring my Filipino Chicken Casserole. Thank you Angie of The Freckled Rose and Lori of Tickle My Tastebuds for featuring my Thai Mango Upside-Down Evap Cake

When my children were little, I would always make cupcakes and muffins. I guess children will go to this stage wherein they profess their love for sweets, cupcakes and muffins...then as they grow older, they will just leave it behind..forget it for a while.Then here comes the MOM, the good old nearing 50 year old Mom, she remembers and she bakes them once again.. and the children whose now grown ups are back into their childhood days, their faces lighten up and smiling.. ..ahhh cupackes, muffins..WOW! Anyway, I found the recipe in my files and I cant remember the source anymore because it has been 10 years ago when I last bake it. Of course, I made some changes- I opted to hand mix the rest and I use the spoon too. Basically old method but its practical for me, I don't know with you, use your mixer all the way if you like.

Printable Recipe
Chocolate Cream Cheese Muffins

Ingredients for the filling:

1 block cream cheese at least 250 gms

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 egg 

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Ingredients for the muffins:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup oil

1 cup caster sugar

1 egg

1 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup strong coffee, cold

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips, divided into two (1/2 and 1/4)

Direction:

Pre heat oven to 200 C or 400 F. Prepare the muffin pans.

Beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add egg and vanilla, continue beating until well combined.

Stir in chocolate chips, transfer to a bowl and chill until needed.
Note: the following direction below, you can just hand mix

Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together coconut oil and sugar. 

Add the egg, yogurt, milk, coffee, and vanilla. Continue whisking until well combined.

Add the flour mixture and whisk until just combined. Add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips.

Proceed on spooning both of filling and muffins batter in a cupcake liner. 

Spoon muffin batter followed by the filling and then muffin batter again.

Garnish with mini chocolate chips on top.

Bake for 5 minutes at 200 C then turn the temperature to 180 C and continue baking for 12-15 mins.

Let it cool slightly and serve. Best eaten when warm or room temperature.

Oh, look at those munchins.. I love the cracked look. It makes them cute and so inviting to eat. These are so good, you take a bite and the combination of cream cheese and chocolates will bring you to the height of goodness. Soft, cheesy, not that sweet..hmmnn..perfect!

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