Lumpiang Gulay or Fried Egg Rolls

Lumpiang Gulay or Fried Egg Rolls

   Egg roll vs. Spring Roll?  What's the difference?  It seemed like one has to know. According to Wikepedia "the Egg roll is Chinese with meat and vegetables rolled up inside and fried.  Spring roll is Vietnamese or Thai that uses rice paper, rice noodles, fresh or blanched vegetables.  Americans call it Egg roll when fried and Spring roll when fresh."   

 Ingredients for fried Vegetable Egg Roll: 

1 pc.  carrot peeled, washed and minced

1 pc. sweet onion minced

4 cloves garlic minced

1/2 head of cabbage washed and julienned 

1/2 lb.  fresh bean sprouts washed 

1/2 lb.  fresh green beans washed and julienned 

1/2 lb.  button mushroom washed and minced

1 pc.  medium size white potato peeled, washed and minced

oil 

a dash of pepper

a dash of salt or soy sauce

Spring Roll Wrappers (I use Menlo brand)

1. Saute onion and garlic in oil in a wok.
2. Add carrots.  
3. Add potato, green beans, mushroom and cabbage. 
4. Add bean sprouts.  
5. Let cool.    
6. Separate the spring roll wrapper one at a time.  Start from the one corner to the top and very slowly pull away.
7. Put a scoop of the mixed cooked vegetable about half a cup unto the corner of the  wrapper.  Arrange vegetable nicely.
8. Roll-up twice. Fold left side in. Fold right side in. Roll up straight to the end. Leave about an inch and then wet end part with water to seal.  
9. Heat up about 1/2 to a cup of oil to deep.  
10. Turn to cook evenly.  Rest on rack or paper towel to remove excess oil.
11. Serve with spicy white vinegar or Sukang Pinakurat.  

Broccoli Soup

Broccoli Soup and a Dinner Roll

I love soups. Thanks to Naty of Arroyo Grande, Ca for the fresh-from-the-field free broccoli and the harvest experience, also to John Furhman for the delicious recipe.      

Ingredients:

• 6 to 8 cups cut up and boiled broccoli
• 1 large chopped sweet onion
• 1 stick of butter
• 2 cans chicken broth 
• 1 tsp. uncooked rice
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1 pint half and half

1. Saute chopped onion with 1 stick of butter in a deep frying pan.
2. Add 2 cans of chicken broth and 1 tsp. of uncooked rice.
3. When the rice is soft, blend the broccoli with the onion-rice mix in a blender.
4. Put back on the stove and cook some more. 
5. Add 2 cups of grated cheddar cheese.  Mix. 
6. Add 1 pint of half and half.  Mix and simmer.
7. Serve, after cheese is melted and mixed well. 

Pictures of the freshly harvested broccoli from Arroyo Grande, CA piled up in our small kitchen counter.  That red thing is our good old dish drying rack. 

Green Chicken Tinola

Green Chicken Tinola

Blended green bell peppers cooked along with the rest of the ingredients made the broth of this recipe green.  Green bell pepper is actually not part of the Tinola equation but experimenting on  it definitely added a little fun.  Of course, this is served warm with a cup of good old rice the Filipino style.   Come on eat your greens.

Ingredients:

• bunch fresh sweet pepper leaves washed and cleaned
• 1 pc.  green papaya peeled, washed and cut into wedges
• 1 green pepper cut into wedges
• ginger cut into strips
• dash of ground pepper
• 1 whole cut up chicken bone in
• 1 pc. knorr chicken bullion cube
• 2 tbs fish sauce
• 1 tbs canola oil
• 2 cups water

1.  In a large pot, heat oil on medium.  Add in ginger, cut up chicken pieces and fish sauce. 
Cook for two minutes.  Add in water and knorr chicken bullion cube.  Simmer until chicken is half-way cooked.  

2.   Add in cut up green papaya and green bell peppers.  Cook until chicken, papaya and green peppers are tender.  Add in fresh sweet pepper leaves.  Spinach can be used as substitute for sweet pepper leaves.  

3.  Scoop out some cooked green peppers from the pot and blend in a blender.   Once blended mix in the pot.  This will turn the broth green.    

4.  Serve warm with steamed rice on the side.  

Our Menu for this month is Green

Beef Nilaga or The Filipino Beef Soup

  My book says go green, buy green, eat green.  I vividly remember my former Relief Society President in my ward in the Philippines.  She is one of those people who will find the natural "cures" first before seeing a doctor.  One Sunday afternoon after church services we we're hanging out having fun just talking.  She has a funny way of sharing her thoughts and ideas that makes me smile in my head every time I think about it. At that time, she was recounting her adventures in finding the natural "remedy" for one to be able to "go".  And so, she said that drinking half a glass of juiced Ampalaya or Bitter melon helped her "go".   Then suddenly as if an "aha" or testimony moment for her, she swung her head and snapped her fingers and shouted with joy "Chlorophyll!".   Excitement and Laughter!  It was such a feel good moment for everyone of us that afternoon.   A cherished simple experience.  Aside from the fact that I miss my troops in the PI,  I am ushering in a series of green veggies that I love to eat starting off with Beef Nilaga or the Filipino Beef Soup.  Ampalaya is a bitter tasting veggie with a wrinkled outer texture which I also like but is reserved for another day and time.   

    

   

    


Ingredients:

• a bunch of baby bokchoy washed and cleaned
• fresh corn in cob leaves removed, washed and cut in half or quartered
• a head of cabbage (optional) cut in wedges
• a piece of sweet onion sliced in wedges
• ground pepper
• beef diced in bite size cubes
• (optional) ginger cut in strips
• a cube of beef Knorr bouillon  
• 2 cups water

1. Wash and clean beef off excess fat. Cut in bite size cubes.  Boil cut up beef in large pot with two cups water.  Skim off or strain fat saving the juice and beef.  
2. In the same pot, re-boil saved juice and beef adding sliced onions, ginger and Knorr bouillon cube. 
3. Add in cut-up corn.  Cook for three minutes.  Add in bokchoy. Cook for two minutes.  Add in cabbage.  Cook for two minutes.  
4. Serve hot by itself or with steamed rice on the side 

Sweet Potato Pie For A Good Puff

My First Homemade Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet Potato is Kamote in the Philippines.  I never had Kamote Pie until I got here.  I have enjoyed this boiled, steamed, fried or frittered served as an afternoon snack as a kid.  Some of my friends would avoid eating this because it gives gas but there's more good in Sweet Potatoes than just gas.  According to my readings, sweet potatoes are rich in Vitamin A that even a few bites a day can put you on a nutritional safe side.  The vitamin A in sweet potatoes come in the form of carotene, and it's potential to reduce the risk of lung cancer. Anything that can reduce a risk factor even a little is something to be grateful for.  But this doesn't mean that smokers will simply increase their carotene intake instead of quitting cigarettes.   Smoking that starts out as a way to have fun and that has builded up into a habitual dependence can become something devastating.  Withdrawal from smoking might be unpleasant.  Withdrawal is not just a matter of will power.  With prolonged smoking (cigarettes or pot) withdrawal should be done in a medically supervised setting.   Choose the better part, enjoy good puffing eat sweet potatoes more often for a better you this year.   I followed Martha Stewart's version for this recipe. 

Sweet Potato Pie
Martha Stewart

Ingredients: 
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 3/4 cup sweet potato puree
1/2 cup half and half
1 tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. ground all spice
vanilla

Procedure:
1.  In a bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until combined.
2. Add sweet potato puree, half and half, lemon juice, vanilla, salt and all 
    spice.  Whisk until smooth or use a blender for an even smooth texture.  
3. Pour filling into crust.  Smooth top with spatula.
4. Place on baking sheet and bake until filling is set about 40 to 50 minutes. 
    Cool for two hours. Serve chilled or at room temperature.



Apples in Apple Pie Working Each Day to Keep Cholesterol At Bay

 We had so much delicious apples from friends recently that I was able to make my very first kind of fruit pie - The Apple Pie. ( Woo..hoo.... wink** wink**).  Armed with a copy of  "The Pismo Beach Ward Relief Society Recipes to Remember" and all the ingredients to make the pie, I was prepared to bake.  Thanks to Bro. Arlyn Bunton's recipe for a flaky pie crust and Sis. Melissa Benson's Apple Pie Filling Recipe.  You guys rock!  Thank you for the honest to goodness recipe details.  Moving forward and to celebrate my very first success in baking pies,  i am happy to share my new found Apple Pie recipe. 

  

My First Homemade Apple Pie.  Not so attractive but i am glad I made it.



 Nutritional tidbits on apples.  This information is taken from the book  "The Healing Foods- The Ultimate Authority in the Curative Power of Nutrition." 



 . Oranges are loaded with vitamin C; apples by contrast, aren't rich in vitamins or minerals but the best source of soluble fiber.  This form of fiber helps prevent sharp swings in blood sugar level  and lower blood cholesterol level.  

.  It takes more than an apple a day to reap the benefits of a diet rich in soluble fiber.  If you usually eat lots of fruits and vegetables, you're taking in enough soluble fiber to make the difference.  Four or more servings of fruits and vegetables in our daily diet is recommended.  . Apples have virtually no saturated fat, cholesterol or sodium so, it is good for the heart.  One medium size apple has 81 calories.

. Remember, Apples working each day to Keep Cholesterol At Bay. 

Pie Crust Pastry  

by Arlyn Bunton

 1 1/3 cup Flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup Crisco Shortening

3 tbsp cold water

Measure flour and salt into mixing bowl.  Cut in shortening thoroughly.  Sprinkle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing with fork until all flour is moistened and dough almost cleans side of the bowl.  Do not add too much.  Gather though into  ball; shape into flatenned round on lightly floured rolling surface.  (if recipe was doubled, divide in half first)  With a floured rolling pin, roll dough 2 inches larger than inverted pie pan.  Fold pastry into quarters; unfold and ease into pan.  

For one-crust pie, trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pan.  Fold and roll pastry under, even with pan, and flute.  For a baked pie shell, prick bottom and side through with fork.  Bake at 475 degrees F.  for 8 to 10 minutes.  (marbles or beans in the bottom keep the bottom flat)  For two crust pie, trim overlapping edge of pastry to 1/2 inch from rim of pan.  Roll second round of dough.  Fold into quarters; cut slits so steam can escape.  Place over filling and unfold.  Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from pan rim.  Fold and roll top edge under lower edge, pressing on rim to seal, then flute.    This is enough dough for a 10 inch or juice saver single crust pie.  Maximum of 4 pie crusts can be mixed at one to assure consistency.  

Amish Apple Pie

by not so Amish Melissa Benson, actually, she is LDS

1 uncooked pie crust (recipe above)

4 larges apples (fugi or granny smith)

1 cup sugar

3 tbsp. flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 large egg

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

10tbsp. flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

dash of salt

1/2 cup butter (cold)

1/2 cup pecans (chopped)

Slice apples thin and put in bottom of uncooked pie shell (10 inch).  Should be about 4 cups.  In a small bowl, mix sugar, flour and cinnamon.  Beat egg in medium bowl and add cream  and vanilla.  Add sugar mixture to egg mixture and mix well.  Pour over apples. Bake 1 hour in oven.  After 20 minutes, top with sugar mixture, mixed down below, over top and continue baking 40 minutes or until top puffs and is golden brown.  Cook with cookie sheet underneath.  In food processor, mix sugar through salt.  Add butter and process-pulse until coarse crumbs.  Add nuts.  She doubles this topping.  Serve with ice cream.  Serves 8.   She loves this pie that she wants to bare her testimony about it.   

So, there you have it.  Apples are great eats.





Maja Blanca



Maja Blanca



A creamy dessert made of cornstarch.  I like my sweet corn dessert to be mildy sweet so, I use a minimal amount of sugar.  A very filling dessert rich in carbohydrates.  Thanks Alyxys Garcia for sharing the recipe. Certified husband approved!  Try this recipe soon...

Ingredients:   

1 can or 16 oz. coconut milk

1 can or 16 oz. evaporated milk

1 can or 16 oz. cream of corn

1 can or 16 oz. whole corn kernel

1 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tbs. dessicated coconut

Procedure:

1.   In a bowl, blend together cornstarch and coconut milk until

      cornstarch is dissolved. 

2.  Add sugar, whole corn kernel, cream of corn and milk.  Mix together.

3.  Transfer to a cooking pot, cook for thirty minutes on stove top. Stir

     constantly until cooked.

4.  Transfer to a baking or serving dish.  Cool down to room

     temperature.   

5.  In a small pan, brown the dessicated coconut.  

6.  Sprinkle coconut on top of the Maja Blanca. 

7.  Refrigerate.  Best served cold.