funny side up

👑  ~~~~~~~ 💙 + 💙 ~~~~~~~ My simple food ode to the   great Queen Elizabeth II   who recently passed on to   the sweet by and by, to be with the   King of Kings,   The Lord Jesus .   ~~~~~~~ + ~~~~~~~ "pepino sa pan"?  quizzical . 💭 T o me, it's totally unheard of. But directly translate that to " cucumber sandwich " and then it starts to make sense. interesting . I have been on the lookout for healthier but filling alternatives to our usual sandwiches; I got curious when I saw this cucumber sandwich on my FB feed a few days ago.  promising .  'Seems to me a typical high tea sandwich that I've never tried before. I don't know about you, but a teeny slice of pickled dill in a hamburger is just about my closest to this cucumber sandwich! 😁  So we tried this English staple and h ere was our 1st take for a light dinner; it was pleasant and soothing, a little heat from the chili, but the cucumbers were cool to the throat, just...

For my Zoe who just turned 13. always, my song for you.  ................................ 🎵  Dream a little dream of me 🌸 Stars shining bright above you Night breezes seem to whisper "I love you" Birds singing in the sycamore tree Dream a little dream of me Say "Night-ie night" and kiss me Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me While I'm alone and blue as can be Dream a little dream of me Stars fading but I linger on, dear Still craving your kiss I'm longing to linger till dawn, dear Just saying this Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you But in your dreams whatever they be Dream a little dream of me Stars fading but I linger on, dear Still craving your kiss I'm longing to linger till dawn, dear Just saying this Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you But in your dreams whatever they be Dream a little dream of me. 🎵  Dream a Little Dream of Me - Emilia Mi...

Say that fast enough again and again?   " Thai  Minced  Pork Basil", "Thai  Minced Pork Basil", "Thai Minced Pork Basil " ...  it's a bit of a tongue-twister to me. In stark contrast, this recipe is anything but twisting my tongue unpleasantly. How easy & wonderfully simple, j ust the right balance in flavor & texture . This "Pad Kra Pao", a  staple dish    served in Thai stalls here in Singapore  has since become one of the   comfort food of my casa. Mainly because: bears repeating, it's good, good, good.👅 both young and young-again relish this. it uses  minced pork , a.k.a. ground pork, a meat "cut" that is readily available in the grocery. easy to prepare mostly uses common ingredients (if you can get  thai basil , it lends this distinct slightly spicy, anise-y taste. still,  spinach is a good alternative). versatile - sweet corn, carrots, and other add-ons to your liking. With all the above, this di...

"Not a chick 🐤, it's not a pea! It's chickpeas!" My hubby's long wait is over, finally, chickpeas hummus is served! Really delish. Garbanzos  or otherwise known as chickpeas , is a power food from the legume family. Using only the trusty food processor, t his dip is one easy and nutritious dip to make.  A nd because it's got that peanut-y butter taste, my little chickpeas (👦👧👧) enjoy it too. Buddy-up with some veggie sticks, and their favorite potato chips, and they won't be able to resist it.  If not 100% healthy plating, at least, partly healthy. We win some.✊         Ingredients 6 tbsp lemon juice 2 garlic shredded 1/2 tsp salt 2.3 cup peanut butter, or tahini (more legit) 1 can of washed/drained garbanzos 1 tsp salt ice-cold water 1 tsp cumin powder 1/2 tsp paprika powder or chilli flakes Steps 1 Marinate In a food processor or blender, blend together lemon juice, shredded garlic and salt. Let sit for 10 mins to allow the flavors to marry...

It's a carrot cake but without the carrots and the cake batter. 🐇"Eh...What's up, doc?", the carrot-luvin' bunnies would likely ask. In these times of fake news and filtered data, let me just confirm that this is legit. 👌 Here in Singapore, the delicious dish called "Carrot Cake"  has absolutely no resemblance to the Western carrot cake. 😁 A perfect example of how fascinating food gets from different parts of the world. Exhibit: Carrot Cake of SouthEast Asia   versus  Carrot Cake of the West   source: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/carrot-cake-recipe-recipe-2011777 They are literally world's apart! The unique misnomer came about because of: a loose English-from-Hokkien translation of "radish pastry" of a dish called "chai tow (carrot or radish) kway (cake) Radish, one of its main ingredients, can also refer to a carrot, literally "red radish" in Southeast Asian countries.  -Wikipedia   I would describe it as an Asian ...

Well, what's all the hulla on the chicken cashewla ? (me, channeling my ChefJohn-FoodWishes 😼) If you want to snazz your stir-fry a notch, add some nuts! and, Why NUT! Tools  🥜 wok Steps 🥜 1 cup raw cashew , toasted at 176C/350F for 5-8 mins, or pre-roasted. 250g chicken boneless, diced dash of salt extenders - (optional) 1 carrot, sliced half-moon or julienne 1 rib celery, sliced thin 1/4 bellpepper, diced button mushroom, sliced what-have-you?  broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, your sky's the limit. aromatics - 1-inch knob of ginger , grated or minced 4 cloves garlic , grated or minced 1 bunch of spring onion, sliced to strips sauce -  2 tbsp        soy sauce 1 1/2 tbsp vinegar 2 tbsp        sugar or honey 1/3 cup     chicken/veggie stock 1 tbsp        cornstarch pinch         white pepper others - cooking oil 1 In a wok, add and heat the oil on high. 2 Stir-fry th...

Subarashii !   Hiragana:   素晴らしい  Katakana: すばらしい  Romaji:  subarashii  English : Great! Awesome. So good! For most pinoys, rice is life. To my Z, noodles is life.  It has been her favorite ever since, the if-u-were-to-eat-only-1-dish-for-a-year kind. To add some variety to her all-time favorite, we ventured to one of her favorite places - Japan!  And so we tried the  SOBA noodle dish, and it was a  good, good, good meal,  hontou ni (really) . This has been a mainstay in our meal recipes at home. It is easy to prepare, although, it requires typical Japanese ingredients on-hand (w hich, if you stock on it, will help you recreate more umami dishes hailing from Nihon). On humid days, it's "cooling" effect is just refreshing. Best of all, its a fun way to eat for the kids, like: use chopsticks ,  dip dip dip  a-dippin, those noodles into the sauce don't-drop-it- keep-it-tween-the-sticks challenge slurp, slurp, slu...

A-vo-ca-do Toast Love story with avocado... must say, I foresee it's forever.  🍞💖 🥑 good-looking green,  rich in vitamin E, (and other alphabets ) good fats ( excellent source of monounsaturated fatty acids, good for the 💚) , good taste! So, I saw this on my YouTube feed last time. From the whole list of versions of avocado toast , this one looked the easiest to do.  And, of course, I zeroed in to it! Ding! As per the video, they call this the Kylie Jenner toast; n ot sure she's the 1st one to create this combo, but still  shared that bit with my girls, as anything 'Kardashian'-ish seemed something they hear pretty often as Gen-Z & Gen-Alpha (must stay tuned to their times, yah). This one's really easy to whip. With only a  few staple ingredients it sure packed a whole lot of goodness! A must try - get  ready for some tummy lovin'  the next time this fruit is in season. 🥑 Steps Avocado , mash (roughly or finely, depends on the mood for the d...

It is rare to find a Filipino who does not like Jollibee food. The Philippines' very own homegrown fast food joint, showcasing the Filipino take on  pasta bolognese, burgers and fried chicken, it easily rivals other famous food chains around the globe. Already, this brand and its jolly bee mascot is an icon recognized by Filipinos of all ages around the world. As it has now expanded to multiple geos, I am excited that other cultures are taking a yummy taste for this happy bee. I for one love love love Jollibee. Each one in our family have our personal favorites, Jolly Spaghetti, ChickenJoy, Jolly Hotdog, and Peach Mango Pie to name a few.  The common favorite is <drumroll> Burger Steak! So, despite living elsewhere now, Jollibee remains close to our hearts. How we look forward to another vacation someday to our hometown; top on our to-do list is to feast on jolly meals with our kapamilya. Reminiscing, we make our homemade versions to satisfy our craving. So far,...

How to beat that summer heat ? If there's yogurt in the chiller, instead of ice cream, my bunch enjoys this yogurt bark . This is surely the easiest dessert to whip up. It's also fun to make as the kids can literally get their hands into this. Whatever fruit or spread is in the pantry can be used, as suits the mood of your tastebuds. As with any chilled treat, give it a wee bit of time to set. Maximize that teaching moment ✌ 🖉  of patience vs instant gratification. It will be totally worth the short wait! 🍦 Steps 2 tubs yogurt 1 tbsp honey toppings of choice, diced or mashed - fresh fruit - berries / banana / kiwi, chocolate, peanut butter, nuts, wafers, endless possibilities. (Tip: if  you are not keen to bite into a chilly fruit, you can opt to mash the fruit first, or use fresh fruit syrup, then drizzle it onto ur yogurt slabs). Mix yogurt and honey in a bowl. In a tray lined with baking paper, with a spoon  slather into slabs or tree bark shape . or feeling artsy or...

TZATIKI,  Greek: τζατζίκι).   A simple cooling Grecian dip that elevates the dish it comes with.  Perfect with grilled/fried meat of choice (poultry, fish, pork/beef).  Even works well with any veggie stick - celery, carrots, cucumber.  Hoorah for fellow snack-munch-bunch out there, this is great with chips and crackers too - more so for the hot/spicy/salty kind (snacks, I mean, yah? Well, also for the hot-headed 🌩 💢 😠 snacker . This dip can cool you down   🌨❅❆   , tellin ya'). It's very easy to prepare. One important ingredient is d ill . This is not a usual herb used in my kitchen. But, mainly for the love of tzatiki, I make sure we always have a stock in the kitchen, be it fresh or dried. 🌿 Steps 2 cups plain yogurt, cooled 1/2 tbsp lemon juice 4 pressed/crushed garlic cloves 1/3 cup chopped dill 1/2 tsp salt 1/8 tsp black pepper mix all in the dip bowl. keep in fridge until ready to serve. then, enjoy -- dip dip dip away! Here's one. 🌶 ☼...

Behold, Muchu Peachu pyramid... and behold, too,  the anciently grand Machu Picchu of the Incas.  my pyramid side by side the real thing. ( Machu Picchu  image from  pixabay ) Well, I just had to insert that pun in, muchu peachu. (cringe? 😅) Let me ask this - w hat's not to like when a fruit is part of a dish?  Especially when it ends up into the young ones tummies?  Nourish, nourish, nourish.  A great pair to sandwiches, sausages, white or red meat, or any greens is the peach salsa. Fresh would be best, but the easily available canned version works great too. 🍑 Steps 1 tbsp olive oil 5 peaches, diced  TIP a: if opting to pan-grill, do so 1 minute on each side (no 1 tbsp oil needed). TIP b: pan-grill only the non-mushy ingredients, like fresh just-enough-ripe peaches.  Canned peaches, or even onions, are on the softer side, so better not grill it at all. 1/4 red onion diced 2 limes, squeezed brown sugar cucumber, diced tomato fresh/sauce/pa...

Oh, to have studied  in a time, like my sister Ate J, when Spanish was required in Philippine colleges. Likely, the rigours of school would be compelling. Would I be fluent in this ~3rd language now? 😉   But then again, why not?  It's never too late to learn something new. Off to a good start via this simple Filipino treat - Pastillas, also known as Pastillas de Leche .  You can 'speak' your cake and eat it too!  👅 👅  Puede! In this post, the terms below are sprinkled here and there. Spot it? Sweet history:  " The concept of sweetening and transforming native ingredients like fruits or carabao milk into pill or tablet shapes, i.e. pastillas, was introduced by Spanish colonists 'perhaps, perhaps, perhaps sometime around the late 1800s'... "   Source:  Serious Eats    Pastillas can end any meal on a sweet note. After indulging, may be best to wash down the saccharine pills with cool water, IMO especially for the young uns. E...