Hello 2016!

Most people celebrated the new year last night. My family celebrated this afternoon. Just family. I think the reason we pushed it back was because my grandma just got back from the Philippines and wanted to give her time to recover. She's okay, but my uncle that accompanied her came home pretty sick. But we celebrated anyways.

I wanted to make at least one Filipino dish. I ended up making bopis, which apparently is also called igado. Pork heart cooked until tender and then chopped fine and simmered in a vinegar/annatto sauce with chopped chili peppers. Lots of oohs and ahhs, and all that remains is just a little for my sister when she gets back from work.

I decided to break tradition and made a non-pancit dish - jap chae. The sweet potato noodles made for a nice change from the usual rice noodles we eat. Several people asked for the recipe, but it can easily be made without one. Cook the noodles according to the package. Drain, rinse, set aside. Wilt a dark green vegetable (I used kale) and chop to bite size pieces. Sauté vegetables in a little oil and sauce made of soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, chopped garlic, and white pepper. Sauté the kale in the same way and with the sauce. Add everything to the noodles and mix to combine. Top with scallions and sesame seeds. This disappeared quickly and I was asked to make this again for the next gathering.

My mom asked me to bake a cake for an aunt to celebrate her birthday. She ended up not making the party, but my cousin brought a slice home so she can enjoy. Nothing fancy, plain yellow cake. Made a stabilized whipped cream frosting, mixing in some cherry preserves for the middle layer. Never heard of a stabilized whipped cream? It's just whipped cream with gelatin added. Another request to make this for the next gathering.

Another Filipino dish, fruit salad, that my dad used to make for parties. Cream base is made up of cream cheese, condensed milk, and whipped topping. Fruit cocktail, tropical fruit blend, and maraschino cherries comprise the fruits. I should make this into an ice cream.

There's some karaoke action going on now... time to hide.

Happy New Year!

Happy Easter!

I'm downstate once again. But thought I would drop a line and hope you are all doing well and enjoying the day. It's a bit overcast here, but temperature wise it's been decent. Not that I've really enjoyed it - I've been catching up on my television watching. 

The Easter ham is done and ready for carving... once people show up.

I think they're running on Filipino time.

And... here they are.

False alarm. Just my sister.

Damn Filipino time.

Birthday Lunch @ Bistro Filipino (Blauvelt,NY)

Guess who turned eighty-one today? This pretty lady did! Now we normally just celebrate at home, but my uncle decided that we’d leave the cooking to someone else. He decided on Bistro Filipino, one of two Filipino restaurants left in Rockland County (as far as I know, anyways). I’ve never been there before, but I have heard good things about the place.

Surprisingly my parents and I were the first ones there. Oh, that Filipino time! Being early has its benefits, like picking your seat. Bistro Filipino is pretty small – our party took up half the dining area, and even that was pretty tight.

The menu was already planned out before we got there, but it was your typical fare. Lots of grilled meats, grilled seafood, chicharon, pancit, sinigang, and lots of rice. There were some other dishes, but I don’t remember because they had meat in them and I’m still meatless. The bangus above I ate almost all of, and had a good serving of pinakbet. There was probably pork in that, but what I don’t see…. yeah.

A glimpse of the other half of the table. As usual, all the kids sat on one end… the adults on the other. Only now the kids are older and had their girlfriends/boyfriends in tow. And if they’re new to the world of family parties, they go through the process of awkward small talk, followed by playful teasing, and lots of “you should try this!” 

As if we didn’t order enough food, a few of us got dessert. Both my sister and I got halo-halo, a shaved ice dish drenched in sweetened milk and topped with flan, ube, and ube ice cream. Underneath that layer of ice was a mixture of sweetened beans, tapioca balls, and I’m pretty sure crispy rice. I don’t know why I ordered this, because I actually don’t like halo-halo. At least when shaved ice is used. Now if it was ice cream, it would be a different story.

The birthday cake came from Red Ribbon, a Filipino bakery in Jersey City. It was okay, but after the halo-halo I wasn’t in a cake mood.

I’ll have to go back there after Easter and see how it is. I already have crispy pata on the list. Mmmm… fried pork.

Empanaditas

Two of my co-workers resigned recently, and we decided to throw them a going away luncheon. I was asked to make lumpia, but decided against that, since they would be cold and oil heavy by the time the party started. So I made empanadas. They're easier, and can be eaten both hot and cold (although it is better warm).

The recipe is simple, and if I had the actual recipe in front of me, you would have it to read and make for yourself. But it's somewhere in one of books on the shelf. And that's all the way downstairs. Too. Much. Work. This is what I can remember off the top of my head. Measure it out as you choose.

Meatloaf mix

Onions, small dice

Garlic, minced

Carrots, small dice

Raisins

Soy sauce

Sugar

Salt & Pepper

Pre-made pie crust, or any flaky dough of your choosing

In a pot cook onions, garlic, and carrots until soft. Add meat and cook, breaking up large pieces. When cooked through, add raisins, salt and pepper. Cover, cook for a few minutes. Add soy sauce and pinch of sugar. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Drain well.

Unroll pie dough and cut out circles - larger ones means more filling but fewer empanadas, smaller is less filling but more empanadas. Add meat, fold dough in half. You can fancy crimp or use a fork. Brush the tops with an egg wash and bake 350 degrees until golden brown.

Dancing and Cupcakes

Red velvet cupcakes from The Fresh Market. Brought them with me back home to a party where my dad was awarded Father of the Year. I helped my mom write up a speech and I had to introduce him. Nerve wracking, but fun.

I really didn't have to buy the cupcakes up here, since there is a FM in Montvale (something I still don't understand).

Lumpia Party Postponed

Make up day to be announced.

posted from Bloggeroid

Spread the Word, My Dears

Saturday, June 16th - (Semi)National Lumpia Day
"Semi" meaning, of course, this little corner lot of ours.

Tell your friends, tell your family.. Tell R. We'll provide the wraps, deep fryer, and intimate backdrop.  All you need to bring are your pretty little faces, beer, any complementing sides you'd like, and whatever it is you want to stuff into a crispy fried roll. We will also have a professional asian on staff to help assist in your lumpia endeavors.

Celebrate Octogenarity.

So the cupcake tasting came and went, and I was not a part of it.

But I had a good reason.

My grandmother turned eighty. Which trumps cupcakes any day. We tried to convince her that she shouldn’t cook, that it was okay to cater the party. But she wanted to cook, it’s her thing. It wouldn’t be a party without her cooking.

Some snapshots of the day.

The Final Countdown

Of 2011.

And I am exhausted.

No. 83

He doesn’t look a day over 73. Here are some shots from my grandfather’s birthday party this past weekend.

Housewarming Gifts

Our housewarming party was well over a month ago, but I really had to post this. And guess who it came from? Albany Jane!

Blame It On the A-a-a-a-a-alcohol

 
Second wedding so far this season. And oh the fun we had!

AOA 3.0/ Van’s (Albany, NY)

Yeah, the party was weeks ago… but I figured I’d mention that I was there. For a quick second. I don’t do well being in a room of strangers, and I wasn’t in the mood to go up to random people and strike up conversation.

Besides, I really wanted some pho.

I know. I left a party with some tasty bites (and cupcakes!) to get more food.

What can I say… I’m an eater.

Chocolate Cube

 

The same day as the Vendy Awards I was invited to a party in the city. Big fancy deal, in the heart of Manhattan. Unfortunately I was running late. Really late. By the time I sat down at my table, the guests were just finishing up their desserts.

Ever see those molds that turn ice cubes into shot glasses? Well, this dessert had the same premise, with the cake turned into a bowl of sorts, filled with chocolate. And as you can see, it was decorated with mixed berries (blueberries, blackberries, and what looked like thawed out raspberries). Didn’t like this one at all. I don’t know if they were going for some dark chocolate theme, it was just not working for me. I resigned to some bad coffee and enjoyed the rest of the night.

As the party was wrapping up, I headed upstairs to the suite for the “after party.” Someone had brought in a bunch of Filipino food, which was delicious and made up for the cake disaster.

21st Birthday @ Gilligans Clam Bar & Grill (Pomona, NY)

I was too busy eating to actually take pictures (plus they kinda sucked). My uncles, on the other hand, took the time out to snap photos, like the one above.

I am feeling a whole lot older now- two of my cousins turned 21 this month! One of them celebrated this weekend by inviting the family to dinner at Gilligans. I’ve driven by this place plenty of times, but never actually ate there. I’ve heard from people… who in turn heard from people, that it was a good place. And it must be, because on a Sunday night (after 7) it was packed. For a party of 16, we must have waited for about 45 minutes before they would set up a table for us.

We started with two calamari appetizers, which were two pounds a piece. It was pretty darn good, and didn’t last long. Dinner ended up being six lobster dinners for two. SIX. Lobsters were good, but on the small side. Just a few clams, and tons of mussels. I split it with my mom, which meant she barely ate one lobster and left the rest to me. And I did finish all of it, although not in one sitting.

For dessert, my aunt bought what I can only describe as a chocolate bombe cake. The cake was almost sponge cake-like, filled with whipped cream and fresh strawberries and bananas. It was frosted with whipped cream and coated in cake crumbs. The cake was light, and had just the right amount of richness. She bought it from B & W Bakery in Hackensack, NJ if you’re wondering.

Party Pictures

Yesterday was my Grandmother's 75th birthday. So my mom decided to throw a big party up in our house. Complete with loads of food... and karaoke. Normally I just block it out, but when Erizel decided to sing Reflections, I just had to take a picture. She is soooooooo cute!

All in all... there were FIVE birthday cakes. I had two of them, and was not impressed at all. Especially with the Carousel Cake. And normally I love their cakes.

Party Workout

Nothing like standing in front of a hot stove stirring to build some muscle.

I'm not making polenta. Although I am planning on making some tomorrow for lunch. Fried polenta cakes with fig over a bed of baby spinach and drizzled with either balsamic vinagrette or a balsamic reduction.

What I'm stirring up is ube. Two batches of it. And not the instant ube like I wanted to buy. But the boil yourself and slave away at ube. I don't even like ube, but it's what we have when we throw a party. I'll be making leche flan as well. My mom usually does this cooking, but she's decided to fall asleep so she can get out of the work.

Let's see... what else are we cooking? I'm making ube and leche flan, my dad made fruit salad and is cutting the meat up for dinuguan. I bought some cheeses for my parents to sample from Honest Weight and a couple more for tomorrow. Nobody's made a cake yet. I'm debating if I should. Perhaps cupcakes would be easier? I really want to make profiteroles. I might just makes those instead... or eclairs?

Decisions, decisions.