Lamesa at Kusina

Random facts about myself

2007-07-31T10:55:00.000+10:00

About ME, MYSELF, and I

I have been tagged by Lydia (thank you by the way) at My Kitchen to post eight random facts about myself. The rules this meme as follows:

Each participant posts eight random facts about themselves. At the end of the post, eight more bloggers are tagged. Let them know they're tag by simply visiting their tag and leave a comment. This is exciting for I have never been tagged before. Here it goes...

1. I am a down to earth, moody, very caring and loving person. That's my nature and I tend to be bossy at times. I love praises even on the tiniest thing I do, it just boost my self-esteem. I accept critique about my personality because it helps me to be a better person.

2. When I was young I dreamt of owning a charity institution for street children. There's lots of them (street children I mean) in the Philippines. And, I married a man who supports children in different parts of the world where it needed most. I'm so lucky, he's helping these poor children for me.

3. I finished a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science back home but now I am working with children. Don't really want to be a computer geek, now I'm just enjoying designing graphics for my own use (have not really done a nything for quite a while) and using my creative mind to make children happy instead.

4. I'm so not good in co0king before I came to Australia. Once I stepped my foot on this land, I adored cooking (I don't know, maybe, just because of love of food). Now, I love to cook for my husband, and will love to cook to my children to be.

5. I love watching cartoons, ever since until now. People think I'm weird watching cartoons, even my husband's nieces and nephew thinks (hello, you're 27, why do u still watch cartoons). Duh, who cares, I love it, and so as love stories, animation, adventure, action (superb), fantasy, and real-life movies. Love movies to the extreme.

6. I love to own a huge gourmet kitchen. Back where I came from, our kitchen thou small, is almost a gourmet kitchen, everything's there and handy.

7. I am an optimistic person and I always try to help other people be one but I just can't, not because I'm becoming pessimistic but they just don't have a will to believe in themselves. All I could do best is to give them almost wise advise.

8. Ohhh...lastly, two months seems a very long time to wait to have a baby because that's what the professional professor said who did my procedure, but who cares, maybe 3 months from now, I'll be preggy, yehey, can't wait, alwasy hoping for the best...

Well, ppl, these facts about me may not be very interesting to you but that's the best I can say...

I want to tag these people (not 8 but I will try to tag more):

Edible Experiments ni Iska
What's for lunch honey?
Bucaio
Pinoy Cook
World Class Cuisine
CHEF KC

Happy blogging....

2007-04-12T12:17:00.000+10:00

Avocado mash

This is a childhood favourite. Instead of milk, I put Milo powder because I don't like the taste of milk and it tasted so yummy, I don't have to add any sugar.

1 ripe avocado
1/4 c. fresh milk (or 3 tbsp of powder milk)
1 tsp of sugar

Cut avocado in half (lengthwise), take the seed of from the middle then shred the avocado with a spoon into a mixing bowl. Mash the avocado with a fork then whem smooth, add the milk and sugar and mix. Pour or spoon the mixture into a small freezer safe container and freeze about an hour or before dinner starts. Take it off the freezer after an hour and serve.

2007-03-24T16:17:00.001+11:00

This recipe is from my friend's mum (anyong haseyo!!!). Thank you!!! I have been asking Hellen for this recipe for a long time because Peter and I loved the Bulgogi she gave me last time with the Kimchi (yummm too - a bit too hot for me). Thanks for your advice Hellen to wash it a little bit...

Bulgogi (KOREAN BBQ - Beef)

½ c. soy sauce
1/3 c. sugar
3 tbsp. sake (or rice wine or sherry)
2 tbsp sesame oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
4 scallions (green onions), minced
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
½ tsp. black pepper

Combine all ingredient in a bowl and mix until the sugar has dissolved. Stir-fry in a pan or wok with your choice of vegetables or by itself.

2007-03-20T18:49:00.000+11:00

Beef and garlic fried rice

Oh dear, what could I cook for dinner now. Really hungry, have to cook something fast and easy. Hmmm..."Babe, could you please get me some good mince from the butcher please...". And, there he go, while waiting I cooked the rice then prepare the other ingredients, he's back within 20 minutes. "Thanks mahal ko!!!". I know Peter would love this because he loves my garlic fried rice...

This is a very simple, but would sure fill you up. With vegetables, rice, and meat....yummm...

1 1/2 c. boiled rice

400 grms. heart smart beef mince

1/2 of small can corn kernels, drained

1/2 medium carrot, diced into small cubes

1/2 c. green peas

8 cloves garlic, diced into tiny pcs.

1 small brown onion, diced

2 tbsp. of fish sauce

2 tbsp, of medium soy sauce

2 tbsp butter, melted

Directions:

Heat half of the melted butter in a wokn (medium heat), saute garlic and onion until brown, add mince and saute until cooked.

Add the rest of the butter then, slowly add rice then fry, (make it three batches), on the third batch, add the vegetables, soy and fish sauce. Stir until thoroughly fried. (***You could always add a bit more butter, if it sticks to the wok***).

"Babe, dinner's ready"....he said, "wow, let's eat!!!". And we finished all of it and I was suppose to take some for lunch the next day...NM. =)

2007-03-16T19:37:00.000+11:00

Spaghetti Pinoy style

500 g mince beef
1 medium size brown onion, diced
500 g spaghetti
750 g. Del Monte Sweet style sauce
200 g. cocktail hotdogs
salt and pepper to taste

Cook spaghetti according to packet directions. Set aside. In medium size sauce pan, put a bit of oil and saute onion until brown then add hotdog and saute. Then add mince and fry until cook. when cooked, add the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Add a bit of salt and pepper. Stir to mix well. Pour over spaghetti and great some parmesan or cheddar cheese. (I prefer grated cheddar)

2007-03-13T01:20:00.000+11:00

Fried Mackerel

1 slice mackerel

small onion, sliced

small carrot, sliced into thin strips

half red capsicum/bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

1 tbsp. oyster sauce

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

Someone told me before that she hasn't seen or eatena fried mackerel before, and I replied, "I fried a mackerel before", so here's the recipe for her.

Heat oil in a fry pan. Saute onion, carrot and capsicum for about 2 minutes then add sauce. stir for a couple of seconds or until well mixed, set aside. Add a dash of oil in the pan and fry mackerel for about 5 minutes on each side or until a bit brownish on both sides. When cooked, add the sauteed vegies on top for about 20 seconds just to heat up.

Serve with rice on side. Eat while hot. Yummy fish.

2007-03-11T16:33:00.000+11:00

Meat balls

1/2 kl of heart smart mince beef
1 red (spanish) onion, chopped finely
a medium carrot, grated
1 egg, beaten
1 c. fresh bread crumbs
5 tbsp of soy sauce
2 pinch of pepper
flour

Combine the first seven ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix together with your hands. For about an inch big balls, place on a floured tray. Deep fry in low heat. Serve with rice or eat as an entree. You can use this recipe for meatballs spaghetti in tomato or white sauce.

2007-03-11T16:22:00.000+11:00

Garlic fried rice

1 c. long grain rice, washed twice
1 1/2 c. water
5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped into tiny pieces
1 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp. fish sauce

Cook washed rice and water in a rice cooker, (if cooking in a microwave, cook it for 12 minutes; if in a sauce pan, simmer until cook) and stand for 5 minutes. Heat butter in a wok then fry garlic until brown. Add half of the cooked rice then stir well, then add the rest and stir again. Fry until rice and garlic is combined, (about 5 to 8 minutes. Add fish sauce and serve immediately with your fvourite meat, seafood or vegetable dish. Peter love this fried rice.

optional:
1 egg, beaten and fried, sliced into tiny peices and add while frying the rice.

Sensational food

2007-03-11T16:16:00.000+11:00

Thai Noodle Salad

(makes 4 servings)
Ingredients:
6 oz. dried vermicelli
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 up chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken; shredded or chopped (I used seafood, really nice, prawn, crab meat, baby octopus, and baby mussels)
1 red capsicum, seeded and cut into thin strips (I added green and yellow capsicums, looks nice)
3 green onions cut diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces
1 stalk spring onions, chopped (for garnish)
(I added bean sprouts as well and sliced red onions plus diced red chilly(for garnish, depends on how much you like it whether light, medium hot); I added chopped peanuts or cashew nuts(for garnish); I added 3 tbsp of rice wine vinegar, 1 small grated carrot and chopped fresh mint; 1 tsp crushed ginger)

1. Cook vermicelli according to package instructions, drain and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, fry garlic for a while, combine soy sauce, broth, peanut butter, lime juice, crushed ginger, bean sprouts, crushed red pepper, rice wine vinegar. Cook over medium-low heat until peanut butter is melted.
3. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat evenly.
4. Stir in cooked chicken/ seafood, sweet red pepper, green onions, red chilly, fresh mint and cilantro.
5. Garnish with lime wedges/ spring onions, red onions, peanuts or cashew nuts

2007-03-11T16:07:00.000+11:00

Banana milk shake

1 medium size banana
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
1/2 c. fresh milk

Combine all ingriedients in a tall plastic cup or a milk shake cup. Place under a milk shake maker then turn the milk shake on and mix until smooth and frothy (or combine all ingriedients in a blender and blend 'til smooth and frothy). Serve immediately.

*** you can use a large banana for a more fruity flavour ***

2007-03-09T23:11:00.000+11:00

Ann's Seafood

1/2 kilo baby octupus,
2 tubes calamari, cleaned
1/2 kilo tiger or pacific prawns, cooked and peeled
4 tbsp. ketcap manis
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/3 c. soy sauce (i like using Kikkoman)
2 tbsp. garlic sauce

Peter said, I make the best octupus. I don't know how others do it but this is how I cook them beautifully. First, I boil 2 liters of water, while waiting, sliced the calamari tube into a 1cm thick, then cut the baby octupus head and take the eyes off, then halve the tentacles. put together the last four ingredients into a large mixing bowl, mix well then add the prawns in ths marinade. meanwhile, pour boiling water into a large sauce pan, turn the stove on high for 2 minutesthen when you see the water water continously, add the octupus and calamari rings then turn down the heat halfway to make sure it continue to boil, simmer for 10 to 12 mins until the contents are tender but not too cook, drain then add the octupus and calamari into the marinade, stand for half an hour.

Heat a dash of vegetable oil in a non-stick wok. Cook the mixed seafood little by little so it won't get watery and don't end up like a stew (don't include the marinade). Cook about 6 minutes for each batch hten put it otgether when all is finished. Serve on top of boiled rice or on top of cooked hokkien noodles. Add some snow peas and bean sprouts on the last minute (optional). Peter has always been very proud of this dish of mine. I'm proud to have come up of this recipe as well.

Mango salad

2007-03-09T22:54:00.000+11:00

Mango salad

1 large green mango
1 large tomato, washed and diced
1 small spanish onion, diced small
2 tbsp vinegar
pepper
salt

Peel mango, washit then tap with paper towel to absorb wetness, then dice it into thin, long strips (1.5cm), put in a medium size salad bowl. Add the tomato and onion, sprinkle with little salt and pepper then add vinegar. Toss well and serve as an appetizer or side. I learned this recipe from my lolo (grand dad) when he was still living at Cainta. Just that it didn't have any tomato. This is savoury and yummy... a filipina friend gave me the green mango on the weekend. "Salamat Nora!!"

2007-03-08T11:32:00.000+11:00

Laing

Ingredients:

dried taro leaves
500 ml coconut milk (18 oz.)
1/2 c. water
4 cloves garlic, crushed and diced into small pieces
2 small brown onion, diced
1 tsp salt
pepper
5 tbsp. fish sauce
200 gms. small prawns (or 1/4 kl lean pork, diced into small pieces)
1 tbsp butter
3 pieces small red chille, sliced into 4

In a medium fry pan, heat butter then fry prawns or pork until cook (set aside).

In a medium sized sauce pan, layer the taro, garlic, onion, and chilli then pour 12 oz of coconut milk and pour the water. Sprinkle salt and pepper, then add prawn or meat on top. Simmer in low heat for 20-30 mins until taro is soaked in the coconut milk. Do not mix. Th efirst time I cook it, I mixed it and the taro got a bittery taste. Then pour fish sauce , and add the remaining coconut milk. simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened. Serve on top of boiled rice. The first time I cooked it, it wasn't that bad, I even brought some to my friends and they said it git a nice taste. You could always change this recipe, you don't have to put a lot of chilli if you don't like spicy foof and instead of using fish sauce, just add a bit more salt.