Cook and Brew.

Filipinos are known for the custom of having close family ties. We naturally care for each family members that home for the elders centers and nursing homes are uncommon. For some married children, even if they have the means to live on their own, they would still prefer to live with either of the couple’s families or parents.

A family is one of the major factors or the basis of one’s happiness. It is also in this light that a kid’s values formation and development are immensely affected by his family’s circumstance or state. So it is imperative that a family must stand sturdy together at all times and remain joyous despite life’s troubles. It is said that families who spends more time together, especially during dinner, is an effective means to strengthen the bond of the family. According to research, dinner is the perfect time to connect with our family. The communication that occurs over meal time fortifies the parent-child relationships.

Every fourth Monday of September is Famealy Day as spearheaded by Lucky Me! with their advocacy of acknowledging the importance of family meals in strenghtening the family bond. So on September 28, 2009, be sure to be home early for dinner and eat together with your spouse and kids. Because as they put it, your children need more than just good food during mealtimes..they need you!

Ingredients:
1/2 kilo chicken wings
1 cup cornstarch
4-5 chilli peppers, chopped finely
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. ketchup
2 Tbs. calamansi juice
oil for deep frying
salt

Procedure:
1.) Season chicken wings with salt.
2.) Deep fry in hot oil until slightly brown. Drain and set aside.
3.) In a bowl, mix cornstarch, chili peppers, sugar, ketchup, calamansi juice and salt.
4.) Cook this mixture over low heat for 10 minutes until smooth.
5.) Place chicken wings in a shallow pan. Pour chili mixture over chicken.
6.) Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or until glazed.
7.) Turn wings to glaze evenly.

Mai’s Kitchen Notes:
Source: Christine Lee’s Best Loved Foods for Everyone

Ingredients:
1/4 K ground beef
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp red pepper
1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Procedure:
1.) Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Shape into 2 patties about 1-cm thick.
2.) Heat a nonstick pan and cook patties for about 6 minutes on each side or until done.

Mai’s Kitchen Notes:
This recipe was taken from Lorenzana’s The 20-Minute Cookbook. As simple as this recipe may sound, I don’t know, perhaps the struggling cook that I am somehow got into me again..thus, with a not so superb dish (personal comment). The next time I’ll be doing this, I will probably add more salt and garlic to get my salty buds satisfied.

Pineapple Meatloaf

Ingredients:
1 can (439 g) Del Monte Fresh Cut Pineapple Tidbits, well drained
1 pc egg
1 pc hard boiled egg, thinly sliced (personal modification)**
1/2 K ground pork
1 pc beef bouillon cue, crumbled
2 pc sliced bread (pan Americano), diced
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 each medium red and green bell peppers, chopped
1 pc medium onion, chopped

Procedure:
1. Combine half of Del Monte Fresh Cut Pineapple Tidbits with all the other ingredients (except for the hard boiled egg). Season with 1/2 tsp iodized fine salt (or 1/2 tbsp iodized rock salt) and 1/4 tsp pepper. Mix thoroughly.

2. Spread the remaining pineapple on the bottom of a 9″ x 5″ pan*, then pour and spread meat mixture. Place the sliced hard boiled egg on top of the meat mixture. Cover with wax paper and steam for 1 hour. Cool slightly then serve with Del Monte Banana or Sweet Blend Ketchup.

Makes 8 servings.

Mai’s Kitchen Notes:
* I used the usual leche flan llanera for steaming since I didn’t have the mentioned pan size/container.

One of the dishes that we ordered for hubby’s birthday celebration at Sentro 1771 Greenbelt last month was Rated GG.

This signature dish of Sentro 1771 consists of Galunggong (Mackarel/Big-Bellied Round Scad) fillets fried in garlic, oil and topped with browned garlic. Priced at Php 230, the husband and I find it too costly for its quality. Nothing really spectacular about the taste.