A Decent Meal in 15 Minutes or Less!

I didn’t think it was possible to cook meals in 30 minutes.  Let alone 15.  I watched Rachel Ray’s 30 Minute Meals’ cooking show on Food Network.  And with everything she’s cooking in that show.  I am simply skeptic to turn out meals in 30 minutes.  There’s no way!  Even if I am working extra fast in the kitchen.  Which I seldom do.  Because I don’t like being rushed.  And because by nature I am a slow person.  And even they admitted, in one of Rachel Ray’s documentaries, that it takes them about 8 hours to film each episode of her “30 minute meals.”

Is it really possible turn out a decent meal in 30 minutes? Or Less?

Well.  Two weeks ago, my son, Ramon gave me a list of food, a menu, he wanted to start eating.  Sort of similar of what he used to eat back when he was going to school in Tulsa.

In that list he had pan fried steaks: NY strips or rib-eye; wilted spinach and canned beans: kidney or black beans.  Drained and rinsed. Then warmed in a small pot.

And this combination of pan fried steaks, wilted spinach, and beans, literally takes me less than 15 minutes to cook.  I couldn’t believe it!  I guess it’s just a matter of choosing what I can actually turn out 15 minutes…

I kinda like this way of cooking.

Now I’m excited to experiment what other meals I can prepare in 15 minutes or less!

Here is an example of a 15 Minute Meal.  I have prepared this a number of times this past few weeks:  Pan Fried Steaks, Wilted Spinach, and Kidney Beans.

At least 15 minutes before you start cooking.  Take out the steaks you need to cook.

Season the steaks with ground sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.

Here in this pick… is a 3/4 of New York Strip steak.  And I cut them in three smaller strips.  Of course , you don’t have cut them like I did here.  I just did this because I like my steaks medium well.

Ramon likes his steaks medium rare.  Which is even faster to cook.  About Three minutes on each side.

Note: A slice of New York strip steak or Rib-eye is usually between 12 and 16 ounces.  And that is plenty of meat.  For me, a good serving is usually 7 – 10 ounces.  So what I do and even for Ramon, I cut a New York strip or a Rib-eye steak  in half.   And it serves two people. And Willie can have a whole slice of steak…

Not sure if you are familiar with the cuts or grades when it comes to steaks.  But there are 3 grades of steaks that available for consumption:

USDA Prime – is the highest grade.  Usually supplied to upscale restaurants and fine steak houses.

USDA Choice – is the second highest quality.

USDA Select – This type of steaks are lowest on the scale of quality.  These steaks are commonly available in supermarkets and used by most restaurants.

I usually buy a choice cut.  Which is available at Sam’s Club.

Get a can of kidney beans.  Or canned black beans.  Open the can and pour the contents into a strainer.  Drain the liquid from the beans and rinse under cold running water.

Allow half  a can of kidney beans per person.

Place beans in a small pot.  Add 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp. sea salt and 1/2 cup water.  Place the pot over medium heat until it boils.  Reduce heat to low and simmer the beans while you cook steaks.

Take out the spinach from the fridge.

I love buying this type of spinach.  Clean. Washed.  And ready to use. I get this at Sam’s Club too.

Allow 3 handfuls for each person.

OK… here goes:

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add extra light olive oil.   About 3 3 tablespoons.

Just right before the oil starts to smoke, add the steaks.

Cook steaks according to doneness preferred.

Ramon likes his steaks medium rare.  So I cook it 3 minutes on each side.

A medium steaks is about 4 minutes on each side.

And a medium well is 5 minutes on each side.  And 6 minutes for a well done steak.

Remove steaks to a platter.

Keep the oil and steak drippings in the pan.  Especially if you are cooking for 3 people.  Otherwise, if you’re only cooking for one person.  Remove but 1 tablespoon oil and steak drippings.

For one person.  Add 3 handfuls of spinach to the same skillet with the oil and steak drippings.

Toss the spinach, using a tong or spatula, until welted.  About two minutes.  Season with sea salt (1/4  tsp.) and freshly ground black pepper (1/8 tsp.)

Remove to a platter with the steak (s).

Serve Pan Fried Steaks with spinach and warmed kidney beans.

15 Minute Meals or Less!

Serve 3 people.

Pan Fried Steaks:

3 slices steaks – NY Strips or Rib-eye.  About 7 – 10 ounces each

1tsps. ground sea salt

½ tsp. ground black pepper

3 TBSPs. extra light olive oil

Take out the steaks from the fridge at least 15 minutes before cooking.  Season each steaks, on both sides, with ground sea salt and ground black pepper.

Heat a large, nonstich skillet.  Add olive oil.  Just before oil starts to smoke, cook the steaks.  Three minutes on each side for medium rare. Four minutes on each side for Medium.  And 5 – 6 minutes on each side for medium well and well done.

Warmed Kidney Beans:

2 cans kidney beans – drained and rinsed

1 tsp. coarse sea salt

½ tsp. ground black pepper

1 cup filtered water

Open the can and pour the beans into a strainer.  Rinse beans under cold running water.

Place beans in a small sauce pan.  Add salt and black pepper.  Pour water over the beans.

Heat beans over medium heat until it starts to boil.  Once boiling.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes.  Serve warm without the liquid.

Wilted Spinach:

6 cups – firmly packed, baby spinach (washed and ready to cook)

Oil and steak drippings – about two tablespoons

½ Ground sea salt

¼ ground black pepper

Over medium heat, and while the skillet and drippings are still hot.  Add the spinach.  Toss or stir spinach until wilted.  About 2 minutes.  Season with sea salt and ground black pepper.

Serve with the steaks.

Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

#1 – Always season the steaks at least 10 minutes before cooking.  This will give the seasoning time to penetrate into the meat.

#2 – The oil and drippings from steaks make the spinach taste great.

#3 – Canned beans are great substitute for bread and rice.  Rich in fibers and complex carbohydrates.  And canned beans are much less gassy. Hsssshh. Don’t tell anybody that.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess Harris

Easy and Simple Egg Rolls (Lumpia)

Are you Filipino?  Do you make lumpia?

These are two questions that I get asked often by Americans.  Years ago.  I would feel offended by these questions.  What do you mean do I make lumpia?  I can make all kinds of things.  Why does it have to be lumpia?

It’s not until this past several years that these questions no longer offend me.  As much.

I can’t blame my American friends.  We have been conditioned to think of people in terms of their stereotypes.  I am Filipino.  Therefore I make lumpia.  I probably eat balut too.  For those of you who are not familiar with balut.  Balut is a fertilized duck or chicken egg with a nearly developed embryo.  Boiled and eaten on the shell.  And the answer to the balut question is NO.  I have never eaten balut.  And never will.  No offense to those who eat them.  Sorry.  The mere sight of balut makes my insides shakes and grumble.  As if it’s going to invert.

The truth is.  I did not learn how to make egg rolls or lumpia until I was 19.  When I meet my husband, my cooking skills were mediocre.  I had to teach myself how to cook.  Or watch others cook.  And then practice what I had learn in my kitchen.

I had once used a blender to ground pork.  And the blender started smoking.  The motor burn out.  I was 20.  Young and dumb.  I didn’t know I couldn’t use a blender to ground pork!  I forget what it was exactly I was making.  But I wanted to impress my husband, who was then my boyfriend.

To this day.  He remembered the dish.  He said it was good.  And the blender?  He remembers that too.

You’re probably wondering… What do you mean you didn’t know how to cook?  You were poor and had no servants!  So how could you not know how to cook?  Being poor was  exactly the reason.  We were too poor.  There was nothing to cook.  I know how to cook rice.  I learned that at seven.  I know how to stew fish with salt and vinegar.  I learned this at eight.  But these were it.  We did not have the luxury to cook and eat pancit or lumpia.  We eat meat once every six months.  If we’re lucky.

Though there were exceptions.  I helped my mom make “sweets stuff” when I was barely nine.  I was her little helper.  Grating sweet potatoes and cassava.  And rolling them in banana leaves.  And then hawking them on the street until every one of the sweet roll is sold.  Probably explains why I hate selling to this day.

The skills of rolling stuff come naturally to me.  Rolling sweet potatoes and or cassava.  Egg rolls.  Lumpia.  Sushi.  And kimpap.  A Korean dish that sort of like sushi.  I suppose I could roll anything.  My step mother-in-law was highly surprised when I easily caught on on how she made kimpap.  And how at ease I was at rolling them.  I didn’t tell her I’ve been rolling stuff since I was barely nine.

I was with my sister when I first saw how lumpia or egg rolls were made.  She, and her friend, Ate Aida, would have a large tub of raw ground beef and finely chopped vegetables, and some eggs to bind them.  And they’ll start rolling the mixture in lumpia wrapper.  They’d do this on birthdays and special occasion.  This was my first exposure in making lumpia.

You probably notice that I am using the terms lumpia and egg rolls interchangeably.  That’s because the principles in making the two are the same.  The only difference is the thickness of the wrapper.  Lumpia wrapper is thinner and crispier.  More delicate and tears easily.  Whereas the egg roll wrapper is thicker and a lot easier to handle.

There are two types of lumpia:  Fresh (spring rolls) and Fried (egg rolls).

Fresh lumpia or spring rolls are just what the name implies.  The wrapper is not fried.  It is filled with stir fried or fresh vegetables.   And topped with a slightly sweet sauce.  Health aficionados will almost always chose fresh lumpia over fried spring rolls.

The fried egg rolls are of course, fried.  The vegetables are stir fried.  Then wrap with egg roll wrappers.  Deep fried at 350˚F for about 2 minutes on each side.  Or until the wrapper is golden brown and crispy.

The secret in making egg rolls is in the filling.  People have their favorite secret ingredients.  Usually, a combination of meats, shrimp and vegetables.

What I made here are lumpia or egg rolls.  And in my opinion, easy to make.  I used vegetables that I like and quick to cook.

I hardly ever use bean sprouts in my egg rolls.  That’s because my husband hates bean sprouts.  And besides, beans sprouts produce too much liquid which makes the filling a bit runny.  And this I do not want.

And the sauce is fresh from the bottle.  Sweet Chili Sauce.  Available in any Asian stores.  You can make your own if you like.  A simple mixture of vinegar, garlic, freshly ground black pepper, and a little bit of salt will do.

Egg rolls are best served immediately.  While they’re still warm and crispy.

Here’s what you’ll need for this easy and simple egg rolls:

Ground beef.

Ground Pork.

Onions. Chopped.

Garlic. Chopped.

Carrots. Finely diced.

Celery. Finely diced.

Green Beans. Chopped.

Potatoes.  Finely diced.

Green onions.

Lumpia or Eggroll Wrappers.

You can find these at any Asian stores.  Or in Supermarkets.  In the refrigerated section next to the produce department.  And or in the freezer department.

Seasoning:  soy sauce, coarse sea salt, and ground black pepper.

And Sweet Chili Sauce for dipping the lumpia or egg rolls.

~~~~

Once the prep work is done. i.e. chopping the onions, garlic and the vegetables needed…

You need to do the following:

Heat a large skillet and add 3 TBSPs. olive oil.

Add meat – ground beef and pork into the pot.

Stir it up and add sea salt.  Or kosher salt.  Use less if using kosher salt.

Add freshly ground black pepper.

Cook meat until gray.  Until all the juices evaporated and meat starts to sizzle.  If the meat is too watery.  Drain liquid.  You may have to add a tablespoon oil to saute the veggies with the meat.

Add onions and garlic.  Stir a few minutes.  Just until onions are translucent.

Add the potatoes.  Stir and saute a few minutes.

Add the chopped vegetables: carrots, celery and green beans.

Stir and saute until green beans are slightly cooked.

Add the green onions.

Add one to two tablespoons of soy sauce.

Add one tablespoon first.  Then taste.  Add another if needed.

Stir to combine.

By this stage… the potatoes should be soft and mash easily.  It should act as thicker or binder to the whole meat and vegetable mixture.

If the mixture contains a bit of a liquid.  Sprinkle a a tablespoon cornstarch over the meat and vegetable mixture.  And then stir to incorporate.  Over medium heat.  Stir for a few minutes.

~~~

How to roll the lumpia or egg roll:

Step one.  Carefully peel and separate each egg roll wrapper.

Lay one wrapper flat with one corner facing you.

Spoon about two tablespoons of the meat and vegetable mixture onto the wrapper.  About two inches from the corner pointing towards you.

Fold the corner facing you over the filling.  Slightly tucking in the tip under the filling.

Roll it forward up to the middle corners.

Fold the left corner over.

And fold the right corner over.  Forming an envelope.

Lightly brush the folded corners and top wrapper with beaten egg.

And then continue to roll until you have a short cylinder.

Finish rolling the remaining meat and vegetable mixture.  Place each roll seam side down.

Heat a deep skillet or a wok and add about 3 – 4 cups of cooking oil.  Heat oil until it reaches 350˚F.

Fry egg rolls or lumpia, five or six at a time, until golden and crispy.

Remove egg rolls from the pan and drain on paper towels.

Serve immediately.  While warm and crispy.  With a sweet chili sauce on the side for dipping.

This Sweet Chili Sauce is really not spicy.  It is more sweet than it is spicy.

~~~

Easy and Simple Egg Rolls

Filling:

1½ pound ground beef

1 pound ground pork

6 TBSPs. cooking oil – divided

1 large onion – chopped

4 stalks green onions – chopped

6 cloves garlic – smashed, peeled and minced

1 large baking potato – peeled and finely diced

3 large carrots – peeled and finely diced

3 celery sticks – peeled and finely diced

1 pound green beans – finely chopped

6 green or red hot chilies – finely chopped (optional)

1 TBSP. coarse sea salt

½ tsp. ground black pepper

1 package Egg Roll Wrappers

Large egg + 1 tablespoon water – lightly beaten

Heat a large pot and add 3 tablespoons cooking oil.

Add ground beef and pork.  Stir to break up into small chunks.

Add coarse sea salt and ground black pepper.

Stir and cook meat until gray.  Keep stirring until most liquid evaporates and meat starts to sizzle.

If there’s too much liquid in the meat.  Drain the liquid.  And add a tablespoon of oil to the meat.

Add onions and garlic.  Stir until onions are translucent.

Add the potatoes.  Stir for a few minutes.

Add all carrots, celery, green beans.

Stir until vegetables are partially cooked, about 3 minutes.

Add green onions.  Stir to combine.

Add soy sauce.  Stir to incorporate.

At this stage, the potatoes should be soft and mash easily.  It should act as thickener or binder to the whole meat and vegetable mixture.

If the mixture contains a bit of a liquid.  Sprinkle a a tablespoon cornstarch over the meat and vegetable mixture.  And then stir to incorporate, over medium heat.  Stir for a few minutes.

Remove pot from the heat and cool.

How to Roll the Egg Rolls or Lumpia:

Separate the spring rolls wrapper one at a time.  Cover them with damp kitchen towel to keep them from drying.

Using a large chopping board lay the spring roll flat.  One corner facing towards you.

Scoop about two (2) spoonfuls of the meat and vegetables mixture into the spring roll wrapper.  About 1½ inches away from the corner facing you.

Fold the corner facing you over the filling.  And fold both left and right corners over the first fold.  Forming an envelope.

Lightly brush folded and top wrapper with the beaten egg.

Roll and seal.  Place egg roll seam side down.

Repeat the procedures with the remaining filling and egg roll wrappers.

How to Fry Egg Rolls or Lumpia:

Heat a deep skillet or frying pan and add 3 to 4 cups cooking oil.  Heat the oil to about 350˚F.  (Use a thermometer to make sure you have the correct temperature while frying.)  The egg rolls should be fully submerged in the hot oil.

Fry egg rolls about 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Drain on paper towels.

Serve egg rolls immediately.  While still warm and crispy.  Have a small bowl of Sweet Chili Sauce on the side for dipping.

Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

#1 – Since the filling has already been cooked.  It only takes a few minutes to fry these egg rolls.

#2 – The finely diced potatoes serves as thickener and binder.  Which makes for a crisper egg rolls.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess Harris

Cornbread Stuffing – Southern Style – Truly A Labor Of Love (Part 3)

Wheww!

Thanks goodness.

This is it.  The last part of this series.  The real thing.  The recipe and instructions on how to prepare this Cornbread Stuffing – Southern Style.

Then after this.  I can finally move on to other things.

For those of you who hasn’t read Part 1 of this post.  Please do.  Because that is the very first step or process of this stuffing – cooking the chicken and making chicken stock.

And then there ‘s Part 2 – how to make the cornbread.  The cornbread needed for this stuffing.

So here it is.  Let’s get started.

So after you have cooked the chicken, gizzards and livers.  Strained, cooled and skimmed the fat off the chicken stock.  Cornbread ready.  You are halfway through the cornbread stuffing process.  Now you are ready to assemble everything you’ve done up to this point.  Well almost.

Process #3:  Making the stuffing

You’re going to need 8 ounces fresh mushrooms.  Washed under cold running water and thinly sliced.

Large onion thinly sliced or chopped.

Four celery sticks.  Chopped.

Then take out the same large pot you cooked the chicken in…

Heat the pot and add olive oil.

Add the thinly sliced mushrooms and caramelized them.

Add the sliced onions.

Saute them.

Then add the celery.

Saute them until soft.  About five minutes.

Then add the chicken stock.

And bring the pot to a boil.

Add the herbs and spices.

Add the chicken base or bouillon cubes.

Stir.

Add the cooked chicken, gizzards and livers to the pot.

Cover and simmer chicken over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Add the crumbled cornbread.

Stir until all ingredients are mixed well.

Keep stirring until all liquid is absorbed.

After about 10 minutes.  The cornbread mixture should look like this or close to it.

Still moist.  But not dry.

Pour the mixture into an aluminum pan like this.

(I used two pans.  An all purpose aluminum baking pan and a smaller square pan.)

Bake in the oven at 350°F for 50 – 60 minutes.  Or until the top crust is golden brown.

And the result should look like this.

And don’t forget cranberry jelly.   Be sure to chill them in the refrigerator slicing and serving.

I usually buy 4 to 5 cans.

I eat cranberry jelly in every bite with the cornbread stuffing.

Serve cornbread warm or at room temperature.

Here’s the recipe…

Cornbread Stuffing – Southern Style

3 – 4 TBSPs. olive oil

8 – 16 ounces  button mushrooms – thinly sliced.

1 large onion – thinly sliced

4 celery sticks, including leaves – finely chopped

10 – 12 cups chicken stock (start with 10 cups)

Seasonings and Spices:

2 tsp. seasoned salt (Lawry’s or McCormick)

2 tsps. dried chives

2 tsps. garlic powder

1 ½ tsps. dried basil

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

3 TBSPs. chicken base or 9 chicken bouillion cubes

Shredded chicken and finely chopped gizzards and livers (from Process# 1)

kosher salt – if needed

crumbled cornbread (from Process #2)

Position the bottom rack on the third shelf from the bottom.  And the top rack on the second shelf from the top.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Lightly butter a 9” x 13” rectangular pan (glass or aluminum) and 8” x 8” square pan (glass or aluminum).  Set aside.

Heat a large pot (I used the stock pot)over medium heat and add olive oil.

Add sliced mushrooms.   Stir a few times, and then do not stir until the mushrooms starts to caramelize, for about 3 minutes.

Stir and allow mushrooms to caramelize further for a few more minutes.

Add the sliced onions and sauté until translucent.

Add the chopped celery stir sauté until celery is soft, stirring occasionally to keep the vegetables from sticking on the bottom of the pot.

Add 10 cups of chicken stock to the vegetable mixture and bring to a boil over medium heat.

Add the seasonings and spices as listed above.

Add the shredded chicken and thinly sliced gizzards and livers.

Simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add the crumbled cornbread to the simmering chicken,  stock, and vegetable mixture.

Stir until cornbread absorbs most of the liquid.  If the mixture is thick add 2 more cups of chicken stock.  And then simmer over low heat until mixture is not too wet or liquidy.  (The consistency of the cornbread mixture should be like a casserole… not too watery and not too dry.  To be safe, it’s better too have a mixture that is a bit watery than dry, because you can always extend the baking time to get rid of the extra liquid.)

Pour cornbread mixture into the buttered 9“ x 13”retangular pan until about ¾ full.

Pour the remaining mixture into the 8” x 8” square pan.

Place the retangular pan on the bottom rack.  The square pan on the top rack.

Bake cornbread stuffing at 350°F for 50 – 60 minutes.

NOTE: After forty-five minutes of baking, switch the pans.  Move the rectangular pan to the top rack and the square pan to the bottom rack.  Continue baking until stuffing has a light golden brown crust on top.  Do not over bake.

The cornbread should be slightly crusty on top but moist underneath.  Not dry.

Remove from the oven.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Or if not serving right away.  Cool and cover with foil.

Serve as a side dish to a roasted turkey and baked ham.  With or without gravy.  And with slices of Cranberry Jelly or Cranberry Sauce.

For my husband though… Cranberry Jelly. Chilled Cranberry Jell.  And I mean the ones in a can, is the only cranberry he will eat with this stuffing.  And after all these years of eating this stuffing, I have to agree with him.  Cranberry Jelly compliments this stuffing perfectly.

I know some people make their own cranberry sauce.   Or some prefers the canned cranberry sauce than the jelly.  And that’s fine.  Absolutely fine.  I have eaten the stuffing this way too.

Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

#1 – Homemade Chicken Stock.  Is more flavorful compared to the store bought ones.

#2 – Chicken livers and gizzards.  The livers and gizzards give this stuffing a great taste and texture.  These ingredients are A MUST.

#3 – Seasoning and Spices.  My husband knows even the slightest difference in seasonings and spices I use.  Weird.  But he does.

#4 – Baking the Cornbread Stuffing meld all the flavors.  Making it into a cohesive one.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess Harris

Cornbread Stuffing – Truly A Labor Of Love (Part 2)

Since my first post on this subject was too lengthy, I had to end it with “cooking the chicken and making the chicken stock” for the Cornbread Stuffing.  And suspend the recipe for the cornbread and stuffing for another post…

We’ll see how long this post is going to be.

Hopefully not too long.  Otherwise, I may have to resort to part three.  The Cornbread Stuffing itself.

In in my last blog I talked about the first time I tasted this cornbread stuffing.  The kitchen utensils needed.  And several steps or processes.

Like I said, this stuffing takes a bit of work.  And honestly, I doubt anyone would actually take a chance and the time to try this recipe out.  Without tasting it first.

But here I am.  Posting it anyway.

If nothing else.  The cornbread itself is very easy to make.  And I usually make this cornbread whenever I make Bean Gumbo.

This cornbread is great to serve with bean soup, chili, barbecued dishes and more.

Anyhow…

Here’s Process #2:  Bake the cornbread.

Preheat oven at 400°F.

Lightly butter a 9”x 13” glass baking pan.

And then prepare the ingredients…

~~~ Dry Ingredients ~~~

Two cups yellow cornmeal.

Two cups self-rising flour.

1/2 cup granulated sugar.

Four teaspoons baking powder and one teaspoon kosher salt.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Whisk them a few times.

~~~ Wet Ingredients ~~~

Four Large eggs.

Beaten well.

Two and one-half (2 1/2) cups milk.

I used one can of coconut milk plus water to make 2 1/2 cups.

1/2 cup oil.

I used safflower oil.

Add milk to the beaten eggs.

Add the oil to the eggs and milk mixture.

Whisk a few times to mix.

Pour the wet ingredients – eggs, milk and oil mixture

over the dry ingredients – yellow cornmeal, self – rising flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Fold the mixture with a whisk until free of big lumps.

Pour cornbread batter onto the lightly greased  9″ x 13″ glass pan.

Bake cornbread in the preheated oven at 400°F for 26 – 28 minutes

or until top crust becomes light golden brown.

Remove the cornbread from the oven and cool.

Crumble the cornbread.

Here’s the recipe:

Cornbread – Dry Ingredients:

2 cups yellow cornmeal

2 cups self – rising flour

½ cup refined sugar

4 tsps. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

Cornbread – Wet Ingredients

4 large eggs – well beaten

2 ½ cups milk (I used coconut milk)

½ cup cooking oil (I used safflower oil)

Lightly butter a 9”x 13” glass baking pan.

Preheat oven at 400°F.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Whisk several times.

In another large mixing bowl, beat eggs.  Add milk and cooking oil.  Whisk until combined.

Pour the egg, milk, and oil mixture over the combined dry ingredients.

Fold the mixture, using a whisk, until moistened and free of large lumps.  Do not over beat.  (There will be some small lumps and that’s OK. )

Pour cornbread mixture into the battered glass pan, and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for 26 – 28 minutes or until crust becomes light golden brown.

Remove from the oven and cool.

Once cooled.  Crumble the cornbread.

~~~

Proceed with the next step or process…

Process #3:  Making the stuffing.

Please read my next blog post for the next step…

Thanks!

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess Harris

Cornbread Stuffing – Southern Style – Truly A Labor Of Love

I first tasted this stuffing 20 years ago when my husband brought me to the U.S. to meet his parents.

I found out that this is one of my husband’s favorite dishes.

His dad makes it every time he comes home.  I mean every time.  I guess this is one of the few ways he showed how much he loved his son.   Since he wasn’t very good at demonstrating it any other time.

So of course…  upon seeing how much my husband loved this dish, I made sure that I learned how to make it.

I watched my father-in-law made this cornbread stuffing several times.  And each time he made it, he seemed to have spent his time all day in the kitchen.

As with most home cooks, he did not measure anything.

My notes consisted of ingredients only.

I had to experiment with the amount of ingredients and seasonings.  Several times.  Before I finally perfected the recipe.

Each time I make this cornbread stuffing.  There is one key indicator whether it came out great or not.  If the cornbread stuffing is great – my husband will eat nothing but cornbread stuffing all day.  And the next day.  Until all the cornbread stuffing is gone.  Finished.  Consumed.  Gone.

It means I’ve done a great job!

It means I have prepared the cornbread stuffing just like his Daddy did.

And if ever I deviate from the perfected recipe.  If I accidentally forget a seasoning or an herb… my husband will know.  His palate knows.  After eating a bowl or two.  He won’t eat it again.  He will simply stop eating it.  He won’t say a word.

He will simply let a whole pan of cornbread stuffing set.  And get stale.  And collect mold if I don’t throw them away sooner.

A whole day’s of work wasted.  Down the drain.  And it’s nobody’s fault but mine.

So I’ve learned my lessons well.  Very well.  And many times.

So whenever I make cornbread.  My mind better be focus.  I cannot be thinking about other things.  I think only of cornbread stuffing.  Think only of cornbread stuffing.  Cornbread stuffing.

I admit that this cornbread stuffing entails a bit of work.  Not hard.  Just work.  That little extra time and efforts.

And extra concentration on my part.

I’m sure you’ve heard of the cliché  “labor of love.”

Well this stuffing is truly a labor of love.

I only make this twice a year:  on Thanksgiving and two days before Christmas.  Because that’s Willie’s birthday.

Any other time.  He’ll have to ask for it.

The dish requires four (4) different processes:

Process #1:  Cook chicken and make chicken stock. It’s better to do this one day prior.  So that the chicken stock has a chance to cool and the fat will solidify on top which will be easier to remove and discard.

Process #2:  Bake the cornbread

Process #3:  Making the stuffing:  caramelized mushrooms; sautéed garlic and onions; and using products from processes number 1 and 2

Process #4:  Baking the cornbread stuffing. At this stage my job is almost done.  So I celebrate.  I play Jesse Cook and dance.  In my cramped kitchen.

I think process #1 requires most of the work.  But once the chicken is cooked and the cornbread is baked, half of the work is done.

First, I just want to alert you that you will these gadgets, pots and pan to prepare this delectable “Cornbread Stuffing – Southern Style.”

Kitchen tools or equipment needed:

12 – 16 quarts stock pot

9 ”x 13” glass baking pan (Pyrex or anchor)

9”x 13” glass baking pan or all purpose aluminum pan

8”x 8” square glass pan or aluminum pan

Large container or bowl  - 8 quarts capacity

Oven

And the ingredients…

And remember our processes…

Process #1:  Cook chicken and make chicken stock

I know it is not so glamorous to look at raw chicken.

I know someone who won’t touch any part of raw chicken.  He eats it once its cooked.  He just won’t have any part of it while it’s raw.  He won’t even look at it.

But this is where it all starts.

Whole chicken cut-up.

Chicken gizzards and livers.

And of course you will need a pot.  A very large pot.

I bought this when we were in Okinawa, Japan.

I’ve seen one this big at Sam’s Club.  Not as sturdy.  I don’t think.  But as big.

Wash chicken and gizzards under cold running water and place them in the pot.

Vegetables.  Chopped.  Onion and garlic chopped.  Bay leaves and black pepper corns in a cheese cloth.  Tied into a pouch.  Italian parsley and coarse sea salt.

All of those on top of the chicken.  In the pot.

All 12 cups of filtered water.  Or enough to fully cover the chicken and vegetables.

Bring to a boil over medium heat.

And just before the pot starts to boil… skim off foam and impurities that surfaces to the top.

Once boiling… reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 40 minutes.

Add the chicken livers after 40 minutes of the chicken and veggies simmering.  Increase heat to medium and bring the pot to another boil.

Once boiling.  Reduce heat to low and simmer again for 20 minutes or until the chicken livers are cooked.

Once the chicken, gizzards and livers are cooked…

Remove them from the pot, using a spider skimmer

or slotted spatula and tong.  Place them in a large bowl or colander.

Remove and discard the vegetables.

And you will be left with the chicken stock.

Using a fine strainer.  Strain the chicken stock into a large bowl or container with a top.

Refrigerate until cold.  And fat has solidify on top.

You can then easily remove or skim the fat off the chicken stock.

All that goodness.  In this bowl.

And the chicken.  Don’t forget the chicken.  The gizzards and livers…

Remove the skins and bones from the chicken pieces and discard.  Tear the chicken meat into small chunks.  Finely chop the gizzards and livers.

And now…

Now you’re ready for Process #2:  Baking the Cornbread

But wait…

I am just now realizing that this blog is getting way too long.

Far too long.

So I’m just gonna have to continue with Baking the Cornbread in another blog.

Sorry to have to do this to you.

But I promise to continue with Process #2 and the rest of the processes on my next blog or blogs.

At least you learn something here:  How to make a homemade chicken stock.

Until then.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess Harris

Candied Sweet Potatoes

Japanese sweet potatoes.  The ones with color purple skin and slightly yellow flesh.  They’re sweet and unlike American sweet potatoes.

Sweet potatoes were one of the basic staples we had when I was growing up in a very poor farming family.

If I were to choose of all the crops we planted, harvested and consumed, I’d pick sweet potatoes any day.  When there’s nothing else to eat, we ate sweet potatoes for breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner.  We typically just boiled the sweet potatoes, still in their skins.  Peeled just before eating them.  Once in a while, we’d cook sweet potatoes – peeled, in coconut milk with a pinch of sea salt.  And if we’re lucky.  Mom would add brown sugar to them.

Sweet potatoes must be cooked just right.  A child must be able to run around with a piece of sweet potato in his hand, chomping and playing at the same time.

At a young, tender age of 8 or 9, I remember planting and harvesting sweet potatoes on weekends and during summer.  Back then, planting and harvesting was fun, on sunny days, as long as I was accompanied with my brothers and cousins.

We’d have a competition as to who could plant the most. Finish a row faster than anyone else.

Usually the land has already been weeded by our dad.  Or us by several days before.  So all we had to do is plant the sweet potato vines.  Which usually involved stabbing the soil one or two times with the bolo knife.  Lifting the soil upward and quickly burying three or four sweet potato vines.  And let the soil rest over the vines.   Covering it up with the soil to protect it from the heavy rain.

And they have to be planted two feet apart, per row.

The sweet potatoes that we cultivated were the Japanese sweet potato varieties.  Of course back then, I didn’t know any other type of sweet potatoes.  We did not even call them Japanese sweet potatoes.   They were simply sweet potatoes.  The only kind we planted and ate.

Once in a blue while and for some odd reason, we’d encounter a few pieces of the Okinawan sweet potatoes:  white skinned with purple flesh.  These type, white skinned and purple flesh, were sweeter than the Japanese kind – red skinned and slightly yellow flesh.  And we usually fight over them.

And then, we’d also encounter the American sweet potato variety.  Which we called wild sweet potato.  Bland, unsweet, and watery.  They’re usually orange skinned with orange colored flesh.   Which is unlike the Japanese and Okinawan variety.

When we dug a few of these, we usually leave them in the field for the birds to eat.

Imagine my surprise when I came to the U.S. and the only sweet potatoes I could find in most supermarkets were the ones we called wild.  We did not eat this type of sweet potatoes.

Occasionally, I would find Japanese sweet potatoes at Asian markets.  But, boy! They’re expensive.  Four times the price of American sweet potatoes.

Now I understand why most Americans add sugar, maple syrup or corn syrup  to these kind of sweet potatoes.  Because American sweet potatoes, by themselves are not appetizing.  Bland, unsweet, watery and mushy.  I would never eat them just  plain boiled or baked.  Without brown sugar or maple syrup drizzled over them.  Unless of course the world has ended and that’s the only left on earth for us to eat.

~~~

This past several years, every Thanksgiving, I have had the tradition of making Candied Sweet Potatoes as a side dish.  Using the American variety.  Though because of the brown sugar, maple syrup and marshmallows.  It can make a very nice, sweet dessert.  But of course it’s not a dessert not.  However, it compliments turkey or ham.

Here’s what you need…

Six medium large sweet potatoes.  Washed under cold running water.  And rubbed with olive oil.

Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for 50 – 60 minutes.

This is how they looked once baked:  wrinkled skin and soft.  The skin should be easy to peel.

(I already started peeling them.  And then I realized I needed to take pictures…)

Chop them into chunks like these.  And place in a baking pan.

Since we were going to a friends house, and to avoid a lot of dirty dishes.  I used an all purpose aluminum pan. So much better.  Hassle free and one less thing I gotta wash.

The sweet stuff that give the sweet potatoes a special treatment.  These simple stuff make this sweet potatoes addictive.

OK… I know on the recipe I said to use coconut milk.  And I meant it.  But Wednesday, I made a mistake of using my only can of coconut milk in another dish I made.  Not realizing that I actually bought for this sweet potato dish.  So… I  had no choice but to go to the supermarket on Thanksgiving day to hunt for coconut milk.

There was only one supermarket open on Thanksgiving Day.  Other than Wal-Mart, which I didn’t even think about until after the fact.  That’s probably because I do NOT like to go to Wal-Mart unless I really have to.  So I went to H.E.B.  The closest supermarket.  I made it there only 40 minutes before they close at 1pm.  And to my luck… they didn’t have coconut milk.  They only had coconut cream.  So I had to be flexible and  make do.  I used the same amount of coconut creams + 1 TBSP. of coconut oil.  Which I had on hand.

The sauce.

In a small sauce pan, combine brown sugar, maple syrup, coconut milk.  Or in this case coconut cream+coconut oil.  Lemon zest and juice.

Stir the sauce over medium heat until brown sugar is dissolved.

The sauce should look like this picture.

Drizzle the sauce over the sweet potatoes.

Top it with miniature marshmallows.

And bake it in a preheated oven at 375°F for 20 minutes.  Until the sauce starts to bubble and the marshmallows start to brown.

Serve warm.

Or at room temperature.

Or cold.  Sometimes.  I like it cold.  When I’m eating it as a dessert in one of my weird moments…

Here is the recipe of this easy, simple, and delicious sweet potato dish.

Ingredients:

6 large sweet potatoes

¼ cup or more olive oil – for rubbing the potatoes

The Sauce:

½ cup brown sugar

1/3 cup 100% maple syrup

6 TBSPs. coconut milk

Zest and juice of one lemon

1 ½ cups miniature marshmallows

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Wash sweet potatoes and pat them dry.

Place sweet potatoes on a heavy cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil.

Rub olive oil all over them.

Bake sweet potatoes at 400°F for 50 – 60 minutes.  (The sweet potatoes should be tender, but not too mushy.)

Peel sweet potatoes, cut them in chunks and place them in a 9 x 13 glass baking dish or aluminum all purpose baking pan.

In the meantime, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F.

In a small sauce pan, combine brown sugar, maple syrup, zest and juice of one lemon, and coconut milk.

Heat over medium heat and stir until brown sugar is dissolved.

Drizzle sauce over the sweet potatoes and sprinkle the miniature marshmallows on top.

Bake sweet potatoes with the sauce at 375°F for 20 minutes.  Or until sauce is bubbly and the marshmallows start to brown.

Serve warm or cold.  A great side dish for during thanksgiving and holidays.

Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

#1 – The SAUCE.  There’s something magical about brown sugar, maple syrup, coconut milk and lemon juice combined together.  And drizzled over the sweet potatoes.

#2 – A great way to tell when the sweet potatoes are cooked.  When juices start to ooze out of the potatoes and the skins are starting to wrinkle and loosen.  These are good signs that the sweet potatoes are cooked.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess Harris

Sauteed Rice Noodles (Pancit Bihon)

Pancit Bihon or sauteed rice noodles is one of Filipinos most popular dishes, in addition to lumpia.  Noodle dishes such as this has been introduced to us by Chinese immigrants.  One of the most common and popular dishes served  in parties and family celebrations.

Pancit, just like any other Filipino dishes, is not spicy.  But in our home, I usually make them hot and spicy to please my husband.  He won’t it eat any other way.  He thinks Filipino foods are bland and therefore not very fond of them.   I really can’t argue with him on that.  He is right.  Most Westerners considered Filipino dishes bland, as compared to the dishes in the neighboring countries.  Which is one of the reasons I seldom cook Filipino foods.  Thus reflecting a limited number of Filipino recipes posted in this blog.  He prefers  Thai and Chinese foods.  Thai foods because of all the hot chilies and peppers in it.  And Chinese foods because I can make them spicy and still taste outrageously good.

I don’t cook pancit often.  But I crave them once in a while.  And this week is one of those weeks where I have to have some pancit.

Here’s what you need to cook pancit:

Rice noodles.  Two packages, 8 ounces each.

Noodles need to be washed under cold running water. Water drained and noodles set aside.  This process will soften the noodles.

16 ounces of pork, sliced.  I kept some of the fat for more flavors.  Seasoned with 1/2 tsp. kosher salt and 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper.

16 ounces shrimp.  Peeled and deveined.  Seasoned with 1/2 tsp. kosher salt and 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper.

vegetables…

sliced and chopped…

and garlic… smashed, peeled and chopped.

Heat a large skillet or wok over medium high heat.

Add two tablespoons cooking oil.  Sorry.  I cheated here.  I used pork fat I had rendered few days ago, for more flavor.

Add red onions and green onions.  Stir fry one minute.  Add celery and cabbage.  Stir fry until cabbage turns bright green, about 2 minutes. Remove to a large platter.

Green beans stir fried in one tablespoon oil. Stir fried until green beans are wilted. And remove to the same platter with other stir fried vegetables.

Stir fried the shrimp until pink.  Remove to the same platter with the stir fried vegetables. (Sorry, I forgot to take a pic with this process…)

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and stir fry the garlic and hot peppers.  That is if you are using hot peppers. Be careful.  Hot peppers are going to be strong on the sinuses.

Add the pork to the wok.

Stir fry pork until golden on the edges.  And then add the sliced tomatoes. Stir for about 2 minutes.  Tomatoes should be slightly cooked with the pork and to the point of disintegrating.

Add 3 1/2 cups chicken stock or water to the wok.

Add fish sauce and soy sauce to the wok.  Bring pork and chicken stock mixture to a boil.

Add stir fried vegetables to the wok.  Stir and keep boiling.

Add the stir fried shrimp.

Add the washed, softened noodles. Stir until combined well.  Reduce heat to medium low.  Keep stirring the until the noodles absorb most of the liquid. And the noodles are tender but not too soft. Turn off heat.

Done and ready to serve!

Sautéed Rice Noodles (Pancit Bihon)

Serves 6 – 8 people

2 – 8 ounces package Rice Noodles or Pancit Bihon

16 ounces boneless pork – sliced

16 ounces shrimp – peeled and deveined

1/3 medium green cabbage

8 ounces fresh green beans

2 celery ribs – chopped

1 medium onion – sliced

4 stalks green onions – chopped

6 cloves garlic – smashed, peeled and chopped

6 – 8 fresh hot chilies (optional)

2 roma tomatoes – sliced

6 TBSPs. cooking oil divided

4 TBSPs. soy sauce

4 TBSPs. fish sauce

3 ½ cups chicken stock or water

1 tsp. kosher salt – divided

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper divided

½ tsp. ground hot pepper (optional)

Wash rice noodles under cold running water.  Drain water and set aside noodles.

Season sliced pork with ½ tsp. kosher salt and ¼ tsp. black pepper.  Set aside.

Season shrimp with ½ tsp. kosher salt and ¼ tsp. black pepper.  Set aside.

Heat a large wok and add 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat.  Saute onion and green onions for one minute.  Add celery and cabbage.  Stir fry for another two minutes.  Remove to a large platter.

Add another tablespoon cooking oil.  Stir fried green beans until welted, about 5 minutes.  Remove to the same platter with the rest of the stir fried vegetables.

Add the another tablespoon of cooking oil and stir fried the shrimp until

pink.  Remove to another platter and set aside.

Finally, add the remaining two tablespoons cooking oil.  Add garlic and whole hot peppers, if using.  Stir fry until garlic is golden.  Add pork and stir fry about 4 minutes.  Add sliced tomatoes to the pork.  Stir a few minutes.

Turn the heat to medium high.  Add the soy sauce and fish sauce to the pork.  Quickly stir to coat the pork.  Add chicken stock and bring pork to boil.  Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low.  Cover wok and simmer pork for 3 minutes.

Add the platter of stir fried vegetables and shrimp to the simmering pork and stock.  Add the remaining ½ tsp. ground black pepper and ground hot pepper if using.

Turn the heat back to medium and bring the whole mixture to boiling.  Add the rinsed rice noodles.  Stir noodles, pork and the vegetable mixture, until well combined.  Keep stirring until most of the liquid is absorbed and noodles are tender but not overcooked.

Serve hot.  This dish is served by itself or with other Asian dishes.  Serves as a snack, a full meal.

Serve noodles with a small slice of lemon, squeezing the juice over the noodles.

NOTE: This recipe serves a party of 6 – 8 people.  Please cut the recipe in half if only serving a few people.  Left overs can be refrigerated and warmed in the microwave.

Also.  As for the vegetables, you may not include what you do not like and replace them with what you like.

Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

#1 – By stir frying the vegetables, individually, as shown, keeps them from getting overcooked.   Thus, keeping them crunchy.

#2 – By also stir frying the shrimps also keeps them from getting overcooked and rubbery.

#3 – Chicken stock enhances the flavor of the noodles.

#4 – An equal amount of fish sauce and lemon juice drizzle over the noodles upon serving, is suggested if additional seasoning is needed for the noodles.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess Harris

Everybody Makes Mistakes

“How intoxicating is the triumph of beauty, and how right it is to name it queen of the universe! How many courtiers, how many slaves, have submitted to it! But alas! Why must it be that what flatters our senses almost always deceives our souls?” Madame de Surin

“What is one big mistake that you’ve made in your life, and what did you do to make it right?” The famous question that cost her.

Her slightly shrill voice betrays her.  She sounds nervous but faintly hides it.  But who wouldn’t  be?

“You know what, Sir in my 22 years of existence I can say that there is nothing major major, I mean, problem that I have done in my life. Because I am very confident with my family, with the love that they are giving to me. So, thank you so much that I am here, thank you thank you so much.”

I watched the the video footage of this particular part where Mr. William Baldwin asked her that famous question.  This is what I observed.  Instead of taking a few seconds to ponder the question and contemplate on her answer, she enthusiastically addressed the crowd like a fake politician running for office, and then delivered her shallow answer.

A very simple question, yet she failed to deliver a meaningful answer.  An answer that would have showed her maturity and wisdom at the age of 22…  Instead she made herself appear as if she’s never made mistakes in her entire life; that she’s a perfect goddess.  And  because of this, most people believed, is what killed Maria Venus Raj chances to be crowned Miss Universe 2010.

Perhaps she’s not ready.

But I know I shouldn’t be too hard on Ms. Raj.  The fact that she made it to represent the Philippines on the Miss Universe Pageant, is already a big accomplishment.  And if her life story is true, she’s already accomplished what most beautiful women could only dreamed of accomplishing in their entire lives.

Though her answer reflects youth and immaturity.  Still young, indeed, so that she hasn’t experience the biggest hurdle in life.  She has yet to face her darkest hour, and feel the incinerating pain in her heart and soul.

But her answer is also a reminder of the attitude of most Filipinos.  There are exceptions, yes.  But we are a people whose true feelings about anything are never expressed – or revealed.  It is unnatural for us to openly express our anger and disgust.  To reveal our frailties and inadequacies.  To express our wants and desires.  We give hints, and we expect the other person to interpret our facial expressions and body language.  To understand our true feelings.  To see the truth behind the facade.

And this type of attitude  seems to be more prevalent among the poor and the uneducated.

This is a country where a YES is a NO and a NO is a YES.  We don’t like to admit that we don’t know anything, or that we are guilty of something.  So instead of admitting to our ignorance, we’d answer yes to a question we don’t understand or don’t know the answer to.  Because admitting to not know anything is far too embarrassing.

The word “hiya” which means “shame” “disgrace” and “humiliation” is rooted too deep in our culture.  And Pride.  Which all too often hinders us from developing our true potential; and of becoming the people we aspired to be.  We are never direct or upfront about what we want, or do not want.  We are wishy-washy.

Unless one is exposed to other culture, especially the western culture.  Where a direct answer is expected.  Only then, that one is inclined to change this attitude.  But change takes time.  And this type of attitude that’s been drilled into our soul since we were babies, takes many, many years to undo.

I know.

A typical Filipino would refuse a dinner invitation from a friend, even if he is hungry, have no money or can’t afford it, because accepting would be too embarrassing.  Again, that word “hiya” or shame and pride is at play here.

However, there is a catch.

We only exhibit this attitude towards people who do not know us very well.  A friend.  An acquaintance.  A colleague. A co-worker.

When it comes to family, especially immediate family, and among siblings, the attitude is completely different.  And again, more prevalent with the poor lower class.

There’s the “obligation” to financially help those who are less fortunate.  Guilt is always used.  It is used as a shameful device against a family member who has more, or they think has more.

~~~

I usually don’t pay attention to beauty pageants, except many years ago when I was a teenager.  When Ate Remy and I, my sister’s friend’s nanny, would sit in front of her small black and white television, inside a dark, cramped room, to watch the Miss Philippines’ beauty pageants.

An interesting fact that I discovered, while searching for information about Ms. Raj, is the increasing number of beauty contestants in the Philippines, vying for the coveted Miss Philippines’ title.  Most are mestizas.  Filipino girls mixed with white European or American Caucasian ancestry.

This shouldn’t surprise me.  Because Philippines is a country that worships mestizas and mestizos –  Filipinos of mixed race.  More specifically, Filipinos mixed with white European or American Caucasian race.

So Filipinos who lived abroad, and or have married foreigners, send their daughters back to the Philippines to enter beauty pageants, and or to become models and actors.  And because of the seeming bias to the meztizas or meztizos, they have a much greater chance of winning beauty pageants, or of becoming models and actors.  A chance they would not have had, had they pursue the same things here in the U.S. and Hollywood.

Maria Venus Raj caught my attention as I clicked through several articles about the 2010 Miss Universe.  As it was trending on Yahoo!

At first, it wasn’t her beauty that caught my attention, it was her last name Raj.  Raj is not a Filipino name. So my first thought was, hmmm… she must be half:  Filipino mixed with Arab ancestry.   And then I told myself: you shouldn’t be surprise.  Filipinos work and live around the world, most especially in the Middle East.  They work in different professions – domestic helpers, drivers, nurses, mechanics, engineers, etc.  So I was thinking:  maybe her mom married a rich man with Middle Eastern descent.  But with further Google on the internet, I find that my assumptions were only partly correct.

So, who is Maria Venus Raj?

Her beauty is mesmerizing and intoxicating. No doubt about that.  Extremely tall for a Filipino woman.  But the question remains.

Who is she?

Where is she from?

Why is her last name Raj?

Several videos and news articles written about her revealed this information:

Ms. Raj was born, out of wedlock, in Doha, Qatar to a Filipino mother and an Indian citizen father.  Her mother, Esther Bayonito, who worked in Qatar as a domestic helper, brought her home to the Philippines when she was merely an infant.  She was raised in the town of San Vicente, Batu, Camarines Sur.  She grew up in a nipa hut and her family is a tenant farmer, cultivating rice.

She is the youngest among five siblings.  (I am presuming her mother had four children before she left for Qatar.)

Her mother was too embarrassed to have born a child out-of-wedlock so that she asked her sister, Maria Venus’ aunt to register her daughter birth – as a child born in the Philippines with catholic parents.  (These facts got her dethroned.  But her powerful and moneyed supporters got her crown reinstated.)

How do you go from living in nipa to getting powerful connections?  That’s what I want to know.  Was it her intoxicating beauty that captivated all these people to her aid?

Her mother was offered $60,000 by a wealthy Arab for the child, a fact that both mother and daughter seems proud to reveal to the world.

She started joining beauty pageants since she was 17 years old.   Joined oratorical contest in high school, coached by her English teacher

Obtained college scholarship from Francis Papica Foundation.    Graduated Cum Laude with a Journalism degree from Bicol University – a prestigious university.

Several months ago, an Asian Journal correspondent, Joseph Pimentel asked her:  “how did you go from a farm girl to where you are now?”

She replied: “Yup, I grew up in a small farm. My parents are farmers. I walked along the rice paddy just to go to school or somewhere else. I did that for 21-22 years. It was a very simple life, not very extravagant. As long as I had my education and a job, life is okay but since winning Miss Philippines and representing the Philippines in the Miss Universe pageant, it’s like an entire different world. I have to be true to myself and try to fit in.”

She did not answer the question.  (It irritates me when people answer questions like the ever evading politicians.)

I think the answer would have been for her to list the specific steps, works, and sacrifices, both she and her family had to do in order for her to achieve her dreams: college education from a prestigious university and international beauty queen title.

How do you go from a poor farm girl to being friends, and connected with wealthy and powerful people, including politicians to rally behind you?

What about her formative years?  How was she raised?  Where there specific things her mother did for her or taught her which helped her become the woman that she is today?

Was she given special privileges because of her beauty?

If her story is true, then there are plenty of poor little girls out there who would want to know the answers to these questions.  Who would be inspired by her accomplishments so that they too can dream big!

But of course, they must meet the pre-requisite.  If they are dreaming of becoming Ms. Philippines, they better be mestizas.  And have the intelligence to back it up.

As for Maria Venus Raj.  I admired her display of confidence and courage.  I admire her audacity to transform herself from a mere farm girl who lived in Nipa Hut, to now an international beauty queen.

With her beauty, anything is possible.

I wouldn’t be surprise if she is pursued by international modeling agencies.

One thing is for sure.  She will have, if not already, an array of very wealthy suitors.  That’s expected of beautiful women.  Her only problem would be is choosing the best one.

~~~

Cook rice as you normally would, using a heavy bottomed pot or rice cooker.  If this is your first time cooking rice using over the stove top.  Follow the instruction below.

Rice that is cooked for the purpose of making fried rice is best cooked the night before.  Chilled in the refrigerator.  This is the key to a perfect fried rice.

If using a rice cooker, the rule of thumb, in my experience, is that the water is always half a cup more than the amount of rice being cooked.  For example, if I’m cooking 2 cups of rice, the water is going to be 2½ cups.  Now, the rice I’m referring here are long grains (Jasmine or Basmati) and short grains (Calrose, Nishiki and other Japanese rice.) This does not include sweet or glutinous rice which is never used for fried rice anyway.

For fried rice, long grains are best.  I prefer Jasmine or Milagrosa rice.  Long grains are less starchy and drier, while short grains tends to have more starch and wetter when cooked.

As for the meat, I have also used salted pork, which is most commonly available here in the South.  I’ve also used ham, Canadian bacon, other type of meat that can be cooked very rapidly, even shrimp.

Here is one of the many different ways to cook fried rice.

Easy Bacon Fried Rice

Ingredients:

8 cups cooked rice (preferably cooled overnight)

5 thick slices bacon – chopped into one inch square.

4 – 5 garlic cloves – peeled and minced

1 medium onion – chopped

2 large eggs – lightly scrambled, and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper

½ tsp. coarse sea salt or kosher salt (less if using regular salt)

¼ – ½ tsp. ground black pepper

3 TBSPs. soy sauce

4 stalks green onions – chopped – white part and green part separated.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, and add the chopped bacon.  Stir constantly until slightly crispy and grease or fat has been rendered from the bacon.  Remove the bacon to a plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease into a glass cup.  Set aside.

Pour the scrambled eggs into the hot skillet with bacon grease.  Let one side cook for two or three minutes.  Flip to the other side and cook for additional minute.  (It’s like cooking a crepe or a pancake.)  Remove eggs onto the same plate of bacon.

Pour about 3 tablespoons of the bacon grease back into the Hot skillet.

Stir in garlic and sauté for 1 minute.  Push to the side.

Stir in chopped onion and the while part of the green onions.  Stir fry for 2 minutes or until onions are translucent.  Push to the side.

Loosen the rice with spatula and add it into skillet.  Stir to combine all the ingredients.  (The best way to do this is to use 2 wooden spoons/spatulas, using both hands.)

Keep stirring until the rice is fully heated through, about 10 minutes.  Add the bacon and eggs, breaking eggs into small pieces.  Stir until combined.

Sprinkle salt and ground black pepper over the rice.  Stir to combine.

Drizzle the soy sauce over the rice, one tablespoon at a time. Stir so that the soy sauce is well distributed.

Taste to see if additional soy sauce and black pepper is needed.

Stir in the remaining chopped green onions.  Stir for a minute or two.  Serve warm.

Serve by itself as breakfast, a light snack or a side dish.

Fried Rice with bacon

Fried Rice with Salt Pork

Shrimp Fried Rice.  Here, i broke the rule of using only chilled cooked rice.  That is why the fried rice looks a bit sticky.  The fried rice still taste good, just not a perfect texture like it should be.

How to Cooking Rice over the Stove Top?

Measure 3 cups of long grain rice.  Preferably Jasmine or Basmati into a 4 quart heavy bottomed pot with a top or cover.

Wash rice and drain. Do this about three or four times, or until the water is fairly clear.  Pour the rice into a strainer. Pour washed rice back into the pot.

Add 4½ cups filtered water to the rice.  (The rule of thumb is 1½ cup of water per cup of rice for a drier cooked rice.)

Cover the pot and bring rice to a boil over medium heat.  Once boiling, reduce heat to low and keep boiling for about 15 – 20 minutes or until all rice is absorbed.  Turn off heat but keep the pot tightly covered for another 10 minutes.  The rice should be cooked by now.  If so, loosen the rice with a spatula – a wooden spatula is best so that the grain kept intact.  Transfer cooked rice into a plastic container or you can leave it in the pot and store in the refrigerator overnight.

Of course, if you plan to use the cooked rice as a side dish for another meal, instead of using it for fried rice.  Serve it immediately while hot.

Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

#1 – To attain the perfect fried rice, even better than most Chinese restaurants, chill the cooked rice in the refrigerator overnight.

#2 – You can add finely chopped carrots or green peas to the fried rice for color.  Simply saute the carrots and green peas with the onions, before adding the cooled rice.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess Harris

Our Quest to Find Tender, Juicy, Bursting with Flavors Barbecue

We have now lived in Abilene Texas for over five years, and we have yet to find a barbecue place that’s good.  When we first arrived in this town, late November 2004, I looked through the yellow pages to find a good barbecue joint.  I even went as far as calling the local newspaper, and they told me Joe Allen’s Barbecue is what they recommend.  Joe Allen’s is supposedly known for having catered for one of the Presidents – President George W. Bush, I think.  So we took the advice and went to Joe Allen’s. When we got to the place, there was only one other car on the parking lot. And we noticed that it was close to being a ‘hole in the wall’ kind of place.  Probably not a good sign, but we went in anyway.  I think I ordered ribs and brisket; which were both dry and didn’t have any sauce as is typical with Texas Barbecue.  I thought – fine.  I’ll just have some sauce on the side. The green beans were overcooked and the potato could use some seasoning.  I think my husband had brisket and sausage.  I forgot what Ramon ordered.  But to cut this story short, the food wasn’t anything to brag about.  We won’t even come back to give them another try.  We were highly disappointed.  We were staying at the hotel at that time and have been surviving on microwave foods for over a month; we were so looking forward to eating something good.  But too bad it wasn’t.  Maybe we just came in on a bad day.  Or maybe he just cooks well for dignitaries.  But we were unforgiving.

Square’s Barbecue Pit & Grill.  We all came here one late afternoon for dinner.  I thought the ribs were okay, at least they were seasoned.  And I had the peach cobbler; and it was good.  But then it’s kind of hard to mess up a peach cobbler.  Still I liked it.  But Willie didn’t care much for what he ordered.  He had ribs too but thought that the barbecue sauce tasted as if it was just poured over the ribs and wasn’t allowed to cook in with the meat.  This might have been true.  I think what they’ve done is cook the ribs, sliced them, and then pour the sauce over them.  We haven’t been back since.

Betty Rose’s Little Brisket.  One afternoon, Jed – the maintenance guy, was over at our condo fixing an electric outlet.  He’s lived in Abilene all his life, so we thought he might know a place or two.  He might even know the best place… NOT! He told us, “You might want to try Betty Rose’s Little Brisket. It is pretty good. That is where we get our turkey and ham during Thanksgiving. And their ribs and brisket are good too.” Of course we are suckers on the idea of maybe finally finding the best barbecue place in Abilene.  So I went and ordered their brisket, ribs, and sausage for three people; with sides of green beans and potato salad.  The food was bland; and tasted as if it’s been under the warmer all day.  The potato salad was more like watery mashed potatoes; and the green beans were overcooked.  Another disappointment.

And then finally, it looks like we really might find the best barbecue place in town.  In 2008, they began construction for a place called “Famous Dave’s.”  Supposedly known for the good barbecues.  We were excited on the prospect of finally finding a good barbecue joint.  The whole town waited in anticipation for the opening.  After almost one year of construction, it finally opened.  The first month they were opened, the parking lot was packed.  Looked like the whole town and their extended cousins and grandmas from neighboring towns, came to see what the hoopla is all about.  So we decided to wait until all the crowds died down.  By the third month, the place had less than half the crowd when they first opened.  But then we also started hearing from people who’s been to “Famous Dave’s” that their food – their barbecue is not as good as people had expected them.  Undeterred, my husband had me ordered three combo plates, all for “take outs.”  We ordered the usual: brisket, ribs, and sausage; with baked beans and fries on the side.  They gave us great servings for each order.  But when I finally got home, and got to taste the food… What a bomber.  Other than the French fries, and the sausage, the food was cold and had no flavor.  The brisket and ribs tasted as if they have been cooked one day before – and had been in a warmer all day.  It was stale and barely lukewarm.  The only item that was decent was the sausage.  But how can they mess up cooking the sausage? Disappointed again!

Harold’s Pit Barbecue.  My husband recently hired a new guy on his team.  And of course, my husband asked if he knows a good barbecue place in town.  He said, “Yeah man!  Harold’s Pit Barbecue.  That’s a good place.  That’s the place I always like to go.”  OK… so we took his words for it.  My husband and I drove by the place during lunch time.  The parking was a bit crowded, so I went in – while he waited in the car, to order slices of brisket and ribs – all to go.  Oh, and “hot water cornbread” which all the reviewers on the internet seems to brag about.  So we got home and ate the food.  The briskets were dry and needed seasoning, and the ribs were nothing special.  The only item that my husband thought was good was the “hot water cornbread,” which I did not care much for.  I thought it was hard, and really couldn’t appreciate it. We’re disappointed yet again!

Though there are steakhouses in Abilene that I liked.  My favorite is Texas Roadhouse.  I like their steaks, and I love their sweet dinner rolls – freshly made in-house.  Off all the times we’ve eaten here, my steaks have been seasoned well.  Though I can’t speak for my husband.  He’s had a “hit or miss” experience at this place.  And their booths are tight and cramped, which makes it uncomfortable if you are a man size.  Of all the places here in Abilene, “Texas Roadhouse” is always packed.  It doesn’t matter if it’s a Monday or Tuesday, and they’re only open for dinner on weekdays.  It’s worst on weekends. I often wonder what makes all these people kept coming back to this place?  I know they’re grilled steaks are good in my experience.  Like I said, my husband had a “hit or miss” experience at this place.  He enjoyed his meals twice out of seven visits…  Still I wonder why are they always packed?  Maybe it’s the free – all you can munch roasted peanuts…? Or maybe it’s their steaks and dinner rolls… I may never know.

There’s another place that I like – Lytle Cattle & Company. I’ve been here three times.  The first time was good, and I remember liking the small loaves of bread.  But the next time we went, they didn’t serve me the bread.  I don’t remember asking for it either.  And my third visit was when we attended a going away party here for a Lieutenant Colonel.  They had the food catered to one of their party rooms.  I thought the grilled ribeyes were well seasoned.  And the green beans and mashed potatoes we’re not bad either.

Still, this doesn’t answer our search for a great barbecue.  Both Texas Roadhouse and Lytle Cattle & Company are not barbecue joints, they’re steakhouses.

The only barbecue place we have ever been, that is truly worth revisiting, since we’ve lived here in Texas is “Hard Eight” in Brady, Texas.  We’ve stopped by there while we were on our way to Fredricksburg, Texas back in May of 2006.  Someone from my husband’s work told him about this place.  So we made a point to stop there.  The place is a typical ranch style barbecue joint with a barn like building with long tables and benches inside.  Outside at the entrance is a covered barbecue pit, where they slow cooked their brisket.  We were greeted by a tall and lanky elderly man, who looked like he’s worked there all his life.  “What can I get you folks?” asked the man.  I was first to place my order.  So I ordered two slices of brisket.  As the knife runs smoothly through that big, tender, mesquite smoked, big piece of meat, clear and brown juices oozed out of  it.  My senses were swept by the sweet, mustard spiced, charcoal, grilled, aromatic meaty flavor that burst out into the open air… Ramon ordered the same thing, and Willie ordered 3 slices.  I can’t remember what side items we had.  I think they only had small containers of green salad, and slices of bread.  But we didn’t care about the sides; we cared most about the brisket.  It was so tender, so juicy, well seasoned and freshly out of the pit.  The best brisket we’ve ever had, ever!  But they are three (3) hours away from Abilene.  And then, there is this fear that “what if we just got lucky that day? What if we drive the three-hour drive, and then when we get there their brisket won’t won’t taste the same…?”  We’re afraid to go back.  We are afraid to be disappointed again.

There’s one thing we’ve discovered from our search for a good barbecue – barbecue joints are highly overrated.  “Good” is subjective.  And it depends on who you are asking.   People become attached to a place, a lot of times not because of truly great food, but more likely the experience they’ve had in that place, the feelings they’ve felt while eating there with their love ones.  So they’re biased on their opinions.  They have convinced themselves that the food is good, when in fact it’s not the food.  It’s the psychological impact the place has on them and they don’t even know it…

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So… since having a good barbecue in Abilene seems to elude us.  I decided to just cook them myself.  Though I wish I could have cook this ribs slowly in a grill, but cooking them in the oven is the next best thing.  They came out juicy and tender all the way to the bones.  The keys to these ribs are the marinade and the glaze.

Tender to the Bones – Baby Back Ribs

Ingredients:

2 racks of baby back ribs (about 3½ pounds each) – washed and cut in half along the rib bones

Glaze – see recipe below

Marinade:

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup teriyaki sauce

1 can soda (I used 7-up)

½ cup apple cider vinegar

6 TBSPs. brown sugar

4 TBSPs. 100% maple syrup

3 TBSPs. honey (I always use clover honey)

4 TBSPs. spicy brown mustard

2 TBSPs. kosher salt

2 tsp. fennel seeds (ground or smashed)

1½ tsp. cayenne

1 tsp. liquid smoke (I use hickory)

Juice of 3 limes (medium or large)

8 garlic cloves – smashed, peeled and chopped

2 inch piece ginger – peeled and grated

Combine all ingredients for the marinade in a large glass mixing bowl.  Stir until sugar and honey are dissolved.  (If you are using 2 – gallon freezer bags, pour half of the marinade over the ribs in one bag and the other half in another bag.)  Otherwise, pour all the marinade over the ribs placed in a large non-reactive container.

Marinate the ribs for 6 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven at 325°F.

Line a heavy duty baking sheet with a heavy duty aluminum foil.  Place the marinated rack of ribs, meaty part down on the lined baking sheet. (Keep the marinade in a bowl to baste the ribs if necessary.)   Cover baking sheet with another piece of heavy duty aluminum foil.  Bake ribs at 325°F for 3 hours – using the center rack of the oven.  Check after 3 hours.  Use a fork to test if the meat is tender.  The meat should easily full off the bones, if not, bake another 45 minutes or up to one hour longer; covered with aluminum foil.  Be sure the baking sheet and ribs are not dry, otherwise, generously baste the ribs with the marinade before baking for 45 minutes to an hour.

Once the ribs are fork tender… remove the foil cover.  Liberally baste the ribs on one side, with the “Apricot White Wine Glaze.”  Turn on the broiler and broil the glazed ribs for about 7 – 8 minutes.  Turn the ribs over and liberally baste the other side (meaty side) and place under the broiler again for 6 – 7 minutes.  The glaze on this side usually sets faster.  Be sure to keep an eye on the ribs to avoid burning the glaze.

Remove ribs from the oven and let them rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Serves 4 people – half rack each.  Serve with potato salad.

Apricot White Wine Glaze

1 – 18 ounces jar apricot preserves

4 ½ TBSPs. white wine or medium dry sherry (I use soft and fruity wine)

2 tsps. ground fennel seeds (fennel seeds are available whole so I grind my own)

¼ tsp. Chinese five spices (see recipe below)

Combine all ingredients in a medium size mixing bowl.  Stir until apricot, wine, fennel seeds and five spices are well incorporated. Use this glaze to baste the ribs as directed above.

NOTE:  If it’s too much hassle, you may decide to omit the five spices.  The taste is going to be a bit different but that’s OK.  These ribs are still going to be well seasoned and tender.

Five Spices:

Combine 1 tablespoon of each:  ground star anise, ground anise seeds, fennel seeds, ground cloves, and cinnamon.  (A typical Chinese “five spices includes schezuan pepper.  But I have not been able to find this here in Abilene, Texas so I use anise seeds instead.)

Store these “five spices” in a tightly closed glass jar for future use.  You need only a very minimal amount of these spices to give a dish that aromatic flavor.

Potato Salad

3 pounds red potatoes with skins (about 9 medium large) – sliced to ½ inch rounds

1 TBSP. sea salt

1 tsp. olive oil

4 garlic cloves – unpeeled

Potato salad dressing (see recipe below)

Fill a large pot, half full, with tap water.  Add sea salt and bring pot to a boil.

Scrub potatoes under cold running water to remove sand, and slice off imperfections.   Cut potatoes into ½ inch rounds.  Once the water starts to boil add the olive oil, sliced potatoes and garlic cloves.  Boil potatoes for 35 minutes or until soft.  Remove garlic and set aside.  Strain potatoes and place in a large bowl.  Peel garlic, mince and add to the potatoes.

Add the dressing to the potatoes.  Mix and chill.  Garnish with boiled eggs and serve.

NOTE:  I understand some people like their potato salad without mustard, and that’s fine, because in our home, my husband loves his potato salad with mustard while Ramon cannot have mustard in his food.  So I’ve also made this potato salad with and without mustard.  Without the mustard, the taste is slightly different but it’s still good, though I prefer mine with mustard too.

Potato Salad Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons French style mustard

3 tablespoons sweet relish

¼ cup minced red onion

1 TBSP. fresh chives – chopped or 1 tsp. dried

¾ tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

¾ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. fresh black pepper

In medium size bowl, combine all the ingredients, stirring until smooth, creamy and well blended.   Pour dressing over the potatoes and mix.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess