Fondant Peterbilt - Groom cake

I made this cake in 1 1/2 day, but not actually the full 24 hrs. As per grooms' request...mocha frosting and a lot of it. The frosting of the base cake is mocha (well not really mocha because there is no chocolate in it, maybe i should call it cappuccino) and the truck filling is butter-cream since the cake itself is already blended with coffee. I baked and used pound cake for easy handling and cutting. This is my first fondant truck and i'm happy with it(",)

Being Single

Single means you have the time to grow and be the person you want to be. It gives you space to grow. Sometimes it is harder to grow when you are too close to someone or to somebody.

Trees are planted far apart so they can spread their branches and become strong as they mature.

Single means learning to live by yourself. However, that is no more difficult than learning to live with somebody else. This means freedom. You are free to spend a week's vacation on the beach, take classes, work late on an interesting project, spend the day on bed or on a couch with a good book or comics.

Single means learning not to need a man/woman to make your life meaningful but learning to live with a man/woman because you want to be with him/her.

Single means that sometimes you will wonder why you will bite your lip and feel wistful and wonder if marriage is better. Ironically, yet quite happily, single is feeling good about being in control of your life. It is liking and respecting who you are and why you are.

It is the state of realizing that being married is not necessarily better, it is merely different.

Single means that there could be something wonderful around the corner and you can take advantage of it.

This only means you are free to do whatever you want, whenever you want and however you want things to be. Most especially, you are free to love again.

stir fry tofu

I call this budgeted yet healthy meal! This is one of my favorite food growing up with lots of rice!!!

Ingredients
1 block of tofu
2 medium tomatoes (or more if you like)
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch of bok choy, sliced (pechay in tagalog)
2 cubes of beef bouillon
cooking oil
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 c water
2 tbsp soy sauce

Direction
Fry tofu until brown. Cut in cubes then set aside.  Heat oil in pan, saute garlic until brown, add onions, saute until caramelized, then add tomatoes. Simmer for a minute. Add sliced bok choy (pechay) and tofu, add water and soy sauce, simmer for 3 minutes, season with salt and pepper. Served with rice.

Chicken and Asparagus bundles

7 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
35 fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cornstarch
1 c chicken broth

Flatten chicken breasts slightly. Combine the oil, lemon juice and seasonings. Wrap top and bottom of asparagus w/ foil. Wrap the asparagus in chicken, secure with toothpicks. Place in a 13x9x2 baking dish coated w/ non stick or brushed w/ cooking oil.  Cover and bake at 350F (175C) for 15 mins. Uncover. bake for another 15 mins or until the chicken juices run clear. Remove bundles to a serving platter and keep warm. In a saucepan, combine cornstarch and broth until smooth; stir in pan juices. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 mins until thickened. Remove toothpicks and foil from bundles; top w/ sauce.

Basic Sponge Cake

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease sides of parchment paper lined pan (12x16x1/2 inch).

2 c Cake flour
1/2 c white sugar
1/3 c vegetable oil
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
8 egg yolks
1/2 c water

Mix together all dry ingredients then add the veg. oil, water and eggyolks. Blend well using whire wisk. Set aside.

BASE 2
8 egg whites
3/4 c white sugar
1 tsp cream of tartar

Place egg whites and cream of tartar into the mixing bowl. Using wire whisk, shift the mixer to 5 until it resembles to a float/bubbly(like beer). Gradually add in sugar. Whisk until soft peaks form. NOTE: Do not over mix, the consistency of the white should be like shaving cream, not dry and a little bit stiff.

Fold the cake flour into the white mixture by using rubber spatula.

Put the batter into the greased lined pan and tap once onto working table to release air bubbles.

Bake at 350F for 30 mins. Turn the pan upside down, and peel the paper. Let it cool.

NOTE: you can also roll this cake as in jelly roll. As soon as you take the cake out of the oven, roll it w/ the paper inside. Set aside while you prepare your own filling. Otherwise, you can slice it like a cake, put some fruits and some whip cream. Enjoy.

No fail Black Forest Cake

CAKE
1 2/3 c Cake flour
2/3 c cocoa powder (unsweet or sweet)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 c shortening
1 1/2 c white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c buttermilk

MOCHA FILLING
1/2 c butter
1/2 c shortening
1 1/2 c confectioners' sugar (add more if you want it sweeter, and how you want the consistency of your filling)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp instant coffee (dissolved in 4 oz heavy cream)
bottle of maraschino cherries (reserve the syrup)

FROSTING
2 c heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp maraschino syrup
1 square semi sweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Line the bottoms of two 8 inch round pans w/ parchment paper circles. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and 1 tsp salt. Set aside.
Cream together, butter and white sugar, beat until creamy and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, until combined. Pour into 2 round 8 inch pans. NOTE: I use 1 measuring cup to pour my batter in the pans to make it even.
Bake at 350F for 40 mins. Cool completely. Remove paper from cakes. Cut each layer in half, horizontally, making 4 layers total. Brush each layer with  the reserved syrup from the cherries. set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream the butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar, salt and dissolved coffee. Beat until smooth. NOTE: If the consistency is too thick, add 2oz of heavy cream.
Spread first layer of cake with 1/3 of the filling. Top with some cherries. Repeat with the remaining layers. NOTE: You don't have to spread filling on the top layer, if you don't want to.

In a separate chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. beat in 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tbsp of cherry syrup. Frost top and sides oc ake. Sprinkle w/ chocolate curls or shredded chocolate. You can decorate the sides and put as much chocolate you want.

Coconut Salad (Buko Salad)

3 package of Shreded Coconut (thawed)
1 can condensed milk
1 can all purpose cream (buy it at Walmart store > latin or institutional aisle)
1/2 c heavy cream
1 c palm fruit in syrup (you can buy this at the oriental store)...you can use 1 jar if you like
tapioca pearl (optional)
fruit cocktail (optional)

Mix all ingredients. Chill before serving.

unfounded accusation

An accusation even if it's unfounded always leave a mark to a person. We have to be careful at all times on what we want to say or do.

Its' been a long while since I wrote my last blog. We've been quite busy, running errands here and there. And I am thinking of something to blog about, until recently my friend shared a picture she entered in a contest. In order to win, you should share it and gather votes, which my friend did! She shared it to a website where friends, friends of friends, friends and relatives..etc. should "like" the page first before they can cast their vote for her entry.  I visited the page and click the "like" button so I can vote, unfortunately the contest has expired. All I can do is look at her entry and several people's entry. She made it on top of the list after the 1 1/2 day of working in it without sleep, exerted all the effort just to win the said photo contest. Sad to say that in that contest somebody had ruin her effort to win. Somebody who is not sport enough to accept that they got lost and beaten big time, and I mean big time! He posted someting about cheating and faked accounts on the page's discussion board, referring to my friend. He requested that her profile, voter's account be checked because it is impossible to gather a lot of votes in just 1 1/2 day (he had to, I guess bec he only have 9 votes compared to my friend's 189 votes). And so the discussion went on and on like a circus, exchanging ideas and words. FYI, the voters can also read evertyhing that's in the discussion board. My friend's mom read about the accusation of this "guy", and as a mom she did her job, and that is to protect and defend her daughter regarding the matter. As goofy as this guy is, he accused the mom of having a faked account too, that this person is the same person who casted 185 votes (which means 185 accounts is solely my friends'..but that is accdg to him), and that he cannot believe a 70 yr old woman is active on that site and can speak perfect English. And now he is being a racist!!! grrgrgrgrgrg...I can't stand what he said and so I made a comment and gave my own opinion. I have to discuss outside the topic since he brought it up. I am a Filipino myself. I may not speak perfect English but most Filipinos can, just like other nationals out there. English is our second language, heck...even toddlers can speak English there, too! So, there is no question about how well our elderly can speak perfect or not perfect English. After my comment, he now accused me of being one of the faked accounts of my friend, and asked me why am I so engaged in the discussion board.

lessons in life

"people are eager to come to the defense of those who they feel are worthy of it..but if you are a jerk, don't expect any help"

Obituary for Common Sense

Today we mourn the passing of an old friend by the name of "Common Sense"...Common Sense lived a long life but died from heart failure at the brink of the millennium.

No one really knows how old Common Sense was since his birth records were long lost in bureaucratic red tape. He selflessly devoted his life to service in schools, hospital, homes, factories, and offices: helping folks get jobs done without fanfare or foolishness. For decades, petty rules, silly laws and frivolous lawsuits held no power over Common Sense. He was credited with cultivating such valued lessons as, (1) to know when to come  in out of the rain (2) the early bird gets the worm and (3) life isn't always fair.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (the adults are in charge, not the kids). But his health declined when he became infected with the "if it only helps one person, it's worth it" virus.

Pansit Bihon (Stir-fried veggies over Rice noodles)

1 lbs pork, cut into strips
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 med. onion, chopped
1 1/2 c shrimp, peeled (blanched in boiling soup stock)
3 c soup stock
1 tsp salt
1/2 pepper
1/2 c soy sauce
green beans, cut into strips
snow peas
carrots, julienne cut
cabbage, sliced thinly
1 pack of bihon (rice noodles)

CHEF's note: I did not put any measurement on the vegetables, use how much veggies you want(",)
                    ....soak the noodles into the hot water for 15 mins, don't forget to strain it before putting into the                       simmering soup stock

In a pan, place pork, add a little water, and simmer until the fat is rendered. Add oil in the pan, fry the pork.

Saute garlic and onion. Add soy sauce, soup stock, salt and pepper.

Bring the soup to a boil and blanch the vegetables one at a time. Set aside. Blanch the shrimp. Set aside.

Add the strained bihon (rice noodles) and cook until tender over medium heat (keep on stirring the noodles until there is no more stock left on the pan).

Add half of the vegetables and half of the shrimp into the noodles and mix thoroughly.

Place on a platter and garnish with the remaining veggies and shrimp.

Serve with lime slices and toasted bread.

don't mess with a filipina

In a New York ouside cafe', a Filipina is enjoying a hearty breakfast, Coffee, croissants, toast, butter, jam, etc.

While an American, chewing a gum, sat next to her and started an unwanted conversation. ..

American: You Philipinese eat the whole bread?

Filipina: Of course!

American: (Blowing bubbles with his gum) we don't. We, Americans only Eat what's inside. The crust we collect in a container, recycle, make these into croissants and sell these to the Philippines.

American: Do you eat jam with bread?

Filipina: Of course!

American: (Chuckling and crackling his gum between his teeth) we don't. Americans eat fruits at breakfast, put all the peels, seeds and Leftovers into containers, turn these into jam and sell it to the Philippines 

Filipina: Do you have sex in America?

American: Of course, we do!

Filipina: What do you do with the condoms?

American: We throw them, of course!

Filipina: We don't. In the Philippines, we put them into containers, Recycle them, turn them into chewing gums and sell it to America. LOL...

Why go to Church

You might as well ask me why I got to the table and eat as to ask my why I go to church. I go to feed my soul. There is a void in my soul that none but God can fill; and since the emptiness of the human heart was made for fullness of God I know of no better place to go to partake of his fullness than to church.


I go to church to worship God. If I can worship God just as well elsewhere as at church, then I can't understand why Christ attended church and said, "Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together." I feel that the spiritual atmospheres created by the singing, the music, the reading of the Bible, the prayers, and the sermon is conductive to a more acceptable worship than an atmosphere void of these things. 


I go to church out of appreciation of what she has done for me and is doing for others. When we are sick, what institution prays for us? The church. When we are in sorrow, what institution comes out to our aid? The church. When the crape hangs on the door, what institution showers its love and comfort about us? The church. When sin was hovering over our souls and we were groping in darkness seeking light, what institution stood ready to point us unto Jesus Christ, the light of the world? The church. I appreciate an institution like that, I want to give of my time, money and service to her cause. 


I go to church to support her because she has the only message that can save the world. Wherever you find the Gospel of Christ unknown you will find a land of heathens. The message of the church is responsible for our civilization. Regardless of whether or not you are a Christian in our land, you owe your civilization to the Church; for without the church in our land, you would have been born the son of heathen parents, and therefore would have been a heathen yourself. When I stop to think that I would be living today as a heathen in an uncivilized land if it had not been for the church, then I can't bring myself to the place where I ca be so grateful as to ignore the church and keep my best from her. How any thinking man can be indifferent to the church is beyond my apprehension.


There are many reasons why I go to church, I will say in conclusion that the main reason I go to church s because I love Jesus Christ. Christ loved the church. He gave himself for the church. Then out of love for him, I love his bride- the church. I like her jewels-the members of the church. I like her message-"Ye must be born again."


by: REV. Vaughn Fults, Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Mini Black-bottom Cheesecakes

nonstick spray
24 plain chocolate wafer cookies
3 tbsp butter (melted)
8 oz cream cheese (room temp)
1/4 c sugar
2/3 fromage blanc (6 ounces) (at room temperature)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
1/4 (s)  raspberry preserves (warmed)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a standard 12-c muffin pan with foil baking cups and spray with nonstick spray. In a food processor, crush the wafer cookies. Add the butter and process until fine crumbs form. Spoon the chocolate cookie crumbs into the prepared baking cups and press with the bottom of a glass to compact. Bake for 5 mins, or until almost set. Leave the oven on.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until smooth. Beat in the fromage blanc, then add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Bake the cheesecakes for 15 mins. Remove from the oven and spread 1 tsp of raspberry preserves on top of each cheesecake, (you can topped it with cherry if you like, just like I did). Transfer the muffin tin to the freezer and chill the cheesecakes for about 15 mins.

Remove the cheesecakes from the pan and peel off the foil baking cups. Transfer the cheesecakes to a pltter and serve.

CHEF's note: cheesecake can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.
                      instead of fromage blanc > creme fraiche, goat cheese, lebneh or quark

Mini Banana Cupcake

Ingredients
1/2 c shortening
2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c mashed bananas (3 bananas)
1/4 c buttermilk
2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

FROSTING
1/2 c butter, softened
2 c confectioners' sugar
3 tbsp milk

In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla, bananas and buttermilk. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to banana mixture. Fill 18 paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full

Bake at 350F for 15-20 mins or until toothpick comes out clean. Place the muffins to wire racks to cool completely. In a small mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar and enough milk to achieve desired spreading consistency. Frost cupcakes.

CHEF's note: you can also use piping bags to design your cupcake, if you don't have piping bag, you can snip a little bit of hole on a sandwich bag.

Inipit (sandwich cake)

I made this as one of my Christmas give aways at my son's school, 2 years ago. The taste and the texture is good. 

Ingredients

1 c cake flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

6 eggs (separated)

1 c sugar

4 tsp water

1/4 c sugar

Preheat oven at 325F (160C). Grease two 13x9 rectangular pans and line with parchment paper. Set aside.

CHEF's note: you can also use wax paper, wipe it with shortening.

In a bowl, beat egg yolks. Add water and sugar and continue beating until mixture thickens. Sift flour and baking powder. Add in to the egg mixture and blend well. set aside.

In a mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Slowly add in sugar and beat until peaks form. add in beaten egg yolks and flour and mix well. pour batter equally into the 2 baking pans. bake in oven for 20 to 25 mins, set aside.

Prepare filling.

filling

3 pcs banana (mashed)

3 egg yolks beaten

3/4 c sugar

3/4 c milk

1/4 c margarine

1 tsp lemon zest

In a saucepan, mix all ingredients except egg yolks. cook until mixture thickens while stirring continuously. Add in egg yolks and cook for a few more minutes. Set aside.

spread custard filling evenly on each baked chiffon layers and lightly press the two slabs together to form one large sandwich. Brush melted margarine on the top layer and lightly sprinkle with sugar. Slice the sandwich in rectangles. Refrigerate or serve immediately.

Pandesal (Philippines' version of rolls)

1/2 c water

1/4 c evap milk

1/2 c fresh milk

1 egg (in room temp. TIP: I set the egg out overnight)

1/2 c sugar

5 tbsp softened butter

2 tbsp oil

4 c flour

3 tsp active dry yeast

bread crumbs

Direction

Combine water, evap milk and fresh milk then heat in microwave for 35 sec. (TIP: the mixture should be lukewarm not hot).  In a bowl, pour lukewarm liquid mixture and add all ingredients according to list of  order. Mix well with a dough mixer (if you dont have one, pwede n un wooden spoon! then mix it manually). 

Mix it for 20 mins.

Sprinkle a little bit of flour on your working surface. Turn the dough out. Knead the dough w/ your hands by folding it when pushing it with the base of your palm. Knead for 15 mins. Dust w/ flour if needed. Remember the dough needs to be a little bit sticky, so do not add to much flour when kneading.

Put the dough back in the bowl. Cover loosely w/ a damp, clean cloth or plastic wrap sprayed w/ nonstick cooking spray. Set the dough in a warm, draft free place. Keep the dough covered until it doubles in size.

Preheat oven to 375F ( 190C )

Spray 2 baking sheets w/ non stick cooking spray.  When the dough is ready, scoop a small amount (about the size of an egg), shape it by putting your palm together. Place on baking sheet, 1 1/2 inch apart. Sprinkle w/ bread crumbs. Cover and leave in warm corner until doubled. Bake for 15 mins or until golden brown. 

Ensaymada

Ingredients:
5 cups bread flour (separate 1 + 1 + 3)
1/2 cup sugar
2 envelopes Fleischmann’s RapidRise Yeast (1 envelope is 0.25 oz = 2-1/4 tsp)
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup shortening 
1 cup mashed potato
2 eggs
3 egg yolks
2-oz grated sharp cheddar cheese, added to the 3-cup flour above
melted butter (approximately 1 stick)
softened butter (approximately 1 stick to 1-1/2)(for rolled method)


Directions
Combine 1 cup flour, sugar, undissolved yeast and salt. Heat milk, water and shortening until very warm (120º to130ºF). Gradually add to dry ingredients. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in mashed potato, eggs and 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in remaining flour to make a stiff batter. Detach dough hook and cover dough plus hook loosely with plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours. Remove from fridge and add the 3 egg yolks, stir setting on the mixer. Remove hook from the dough this time and cover loosely again with plastic then refrigerate for another 1-22 hours.

The next stage will make use of a method depending on how hardworking you are or how time pressed you are.

Coiled: If you got lots of time, do the old-fashioned way of coiling like katol by pinching off pieces from the chilled dough about the size of a small pandesal. Get only a few at a time and chill the rest of the dough again because it becomes harder to handle when warmer; it becomes too sticky. Sprinkling flour on work surface helps lessen the stickiness. Shape the dough into a long rope about a foot long and coil as previously illustrated in older posts. Place on greased baking pan and brush with melted butter. See this post for step-by-step slideshow on how to shape into coils.

Rolled (para sa tinatamad): Get a chunk of dough about the same as one that you have for 2-lb recipes of bread (or about the size of a grapefruit or suha). Flatten to disk, fold over the four edges like that of an envelope, and roll to make a rectangle about 8 x 10 inches. Place a generous layer of softened butter except near the edges. Roll tightly from the long end. Cut in 1 to 1-1/2 inch intervals. Dip one end of cut side in melted butter then place on baking pan. Brush the rest of the surfaces with melted butter.

Fried Ice Cream

1 quart vanilla ice cream

3 cups crushed corn flakes cereal

1 tsp ground cinnamon

3 egg whites

oil for frying

Scoop ice cream into 1/2 cup sized ball. Place on baking sheet and freeze until firm for about 1 hour. In a shallow dish, combine cornflakes and cinnamon. In another dish, beat egg whites until foamy.

STEP 1 Roll the ice cream balls in egg whites then in cornflakes, covering ice cream completely.  Freeze again until firm for 2 hours.

STEP 2 Repeat Step 1 and freeze again for another 3 hours or overnight.

In deep fryer or large, heavy saucepan, heat oil to 375F (190C)

Using a slotted spoon, fry ice cream balls 1 or 2 at a time, for 15 seconds, until golden.

Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

NOTES:

You can substitute cornflakes with vanilla wafers. I used peanut oil instead of regular cooking oil bec you can fry the ice cream quicker. Some have used pancake batter for coating but I haven't tried it yet.

Coconut Meringue Pie

Ingredients

·         1 blind-baked 9-inch pastry shell

·         2 1/4 cups whole milk

·         3/4 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup for the egg whites

·         3 eggs, separated

·         1/4 cup cornstarch

·         1 teaspoon vanilla

·         1 3/4 cups toasted coconut

·         1 tablespoon butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a saucepan, whisk the 2 cups of the milk and 3/4 cup sugar together. Place the pan over medium heat and bring the liquid up to a simmer. Whisk the egg yolks together. Temper the hot milk into the egg yolks. Whisk the egg mixture into the hot milk mixture. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining milk, making a slurry. Whisk the slurryinto the hot milk mixture. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until the filling is thick, about 4 to 6 minutes. Fold in the vanilla, coconut, and butter. Mix well. Pour the filling into the prepared pan and cool the pie completely. Using an electric mixer with a whip attachment, whip the egg white to soft peaks. Add the remaining sugar and whip the egg white to stiff peaks. Spread the egg whites over the top of the pie. Place the pie in the oven for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until themeringue is golden brown.