Foodie Goodie | Le Manays.

You know how those hole-in-the-wall restaurants often turn out to serve surprisingly good food? That is exactly the case with Le Manays, a fairly new snack shop nicely tucked in the busy streets of San Pablo City.

I've been to this place several times before, and have called for delivery twice or thrice. (Yes, they do deliveries!) Guess that goes to show their food is worth coming back for, and merits a spot on my blog.

Last week, the little man and I came back to Le Manays, where we had lunch to celebrate his Dad's birthday. It was actually the little man who suggested dining at this place, saying that he wanted to eat their 'crazy spaghetti'.

Little man at Le Manays.

That's spaghetti threaded through hotdog bites, with a slightly sweet sauce that kids will surely love. It's written on the menu as 'Grasya's Crazy Spaghetti'.

Grasya's Crazy Spaghetti, Php 60.

It comes in a pretty generous serving, too.

Eating heartily!

As for me, I had their Dencio de Mare Tuna Pesto Spaghetti. Served with tuna, green pesto, herbs and spices, and Romano cheese, this dish is quite flavorful though it's not as 'green' as you'd expect a pesto pasta to be.

Dencio de Mare Tuna Pesto Spaghetti, Php 60.

We also ordered their Kajo's Beef Nacho Platter for sharing. This is one of my favorites in Le Manays menu. Crunchy nacho chips, a medley of fresh veggies, lots of cheese, plus ground beef that's seasoned just right - this dish is definitely a must-try.

Kajo's Beef Nacho Platter, Php 100.

Little man ready to pounce! :)

Aside from pasta and sandwiches, Le Manays also have an array of desserts on their menu. This includes Mer-Nel's Chocolate Cake (yes, that's the famous chocolate cake from UP Los Banos) which we ordered for take away.

Mer-Nel's Chocolate Cake, Php 190.

Other note-worthy dishes on Le Manay's menu are the Pancit Wrap (spring rolls filled with pancit bihon), Halo-Halo While Walking (creamy halo-halo served with a straw and tastes as good, if not better, than Razon's), and Brazo de Mercedes cupcakes (an original by Bake it Away, these are Brazo cakes conveniently served in to-go cups).

Brazo de Mercedes cupcakes, Php 40 each.

If ever you're in San Pablo City and don't mind worming your way through the traffic, then you should visit Le Manays and give their food a try. Their simple, straight-forward dishes, affordable price, as well as the quirky yet homey ambiance makes going out of your way worth it. Just don't visit on a Monday as it's their 'rest day'. :)

Le Manays 

Col. Lauro Dizon St.,

San Pablo City, Laguna

(049) 5211544

(0917) 3865669

Foodie Goodie | French Toast with a Twist.

Nothing says weekend like a big hearty brunch of French toast, fried eggs, and a tall glass of orange juice (or a cup of coffee for coffeeholics like me). Now if you're planning on making French toast for tomorrow's breakfast (or brunch), here's a different take to the usual pan-toasted soggy bread.

French Toast with a Twist

Ingredients:
1 loaf of bread (if you can find cinnamon-swirled ones, that would be great)
1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 ounces of cream cheese, cubed
1 1/2 cup whole milk
5 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
pinch of nutmeg

Procedure:
1. In a medium saucepan, melt together butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and cinnamon.
2. Cook until sugar is dissolved.
3.Pour in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
4. Remove bread crusts and cut into large cubes. Place bread on top of brown sugar mixture in the pan. Top with cubes of cream cheese.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla and nutmeg.
6. Pour the mixture over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
7. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with maple syrup, fresh fruits or bacon and eggs.

Happy weekend cooking, everyone!

As seen on Spoonful. Shared with Food Friday and Food Trip Friday.

Foodie Goodie | Finlandia Swiss Cheese.

If you're a huge fan of the Bravo TV reality cooking show Top Chef like I am, then the name 'Ariane Duarte' probably rings a bell. Yes, she's the season 5 contender who won an elimination challenge and had the chance to cook live on the Today Show.

It's been five years since Top Chef season 5, and now Ariane is the chef/owner of a four-star restaurant in Montclair, New Jersey aptly named 'CulinAriane'. She's also the brand ambassador of Finlandia Cheese Inc., a New Jersey-based brand of dairy products, and also one of the most popular brands in the global dairy industry.

“One of my real secrets is knowing that all cheese is not created equal,” advises Ariane. “Whether I’m choosing ingredients for the restaurant or for my family, quality is my first concern. So when I’m choosing cheese, I prefer Finlandia®. Regardless of the cheese type, all Finlandia cheeses are all natural, hormone-free and naturally lactose-free, and I especially like the superior taste and end results when used in my recipes.”

Today, my friends and readers are in for a treat as I share with you these recipes created by Chef Ariane Duarte. They're some of my favorite comfort food, and they're perfect for chilly, blustery days (like today).

Finlandia Swiss Chipotle Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:
3 c cooked elbow noodles
1 small onion diced
2t garlic minced
2 T butter
1/3c flour
3c skimmed milk
3/4c cottage cheese
4 packages sliced Finlandia Swiss, Light Swiss or Lacey Swiss (cut into small dices)
2c parmesan
1T chipotle peppers, pureed
salt & pepper
seasoned bread crumbs

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a blender, add skim milk and cottage cheese. Blend until smooth.
3. Add butter in a sauce pot, and once hot add onion and garlic.
4. Add flour, mix well and then add milk mixture. Stir and let thicken for about 7 -10 minutes.
5. Add chipotle pepper. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Add cheeses and cooked pasta. Mix well and put into a casserole dish.
7. Top with bread crumbs.
8. Bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

Ariane says: I love macaroni and cheese and this contemporary twist on the classic combines three distinct cheeses with the subtle smokiness of chipotle peppers. Finlandia Swiss cheese is essential to the recipe because of the creamy and full-bodied flavor it imparts. I was inspired to add cottage cheese to the recipe because it also adds even more creaminess, but without the calories and it provides a lot of protein, too. The cheeses are the perfect counterpoint to the sharpness of the peppers and the full cheese flavor delivers the comforting texture that gives the nostalgic dish its staying power.

French Onion Soup with Finlandia Swiss Cheese

Ingredients:

¼ c butter

3 onions, thinly sliced

1 t white sugar

1 T all purpose flour

2 ½ c water

½ c red wine

1 ½ cup condensed beef broth

1 French baguette, sliced thick

8 oz sliced Finlandia Swiss Cheese

Procedure:

1. Melt butter or margarine in a 4 quart saucepan. Stir in sugar. 

2. Cook onions over medium heat for 10 minutes or until golden brown. 

3. Stir in flour until well blended with the onions and pan juices and cook about 5 minutes. 

4. Add water, wine, and beef broth; bring to a boil. 

5. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Cut four thick slices of bread from the loaf. Toast the bread slices until browned and crusty. Reserve the remaining bread to serve with the soup. 

7. Ladle soup into four oven safe bowls. Place one slice of toasted bread on top of the soup in each bowl. 

8. Cover top of bowl with Finlandia Cheese slice until it just falls over the edge. 

9. Place soup bowls on a cookie sheet to avoid spills in the oven. 

10. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes or just until cheese is melted and golden brown.

Next week, I'll be sharing a few more recipes from Chef Ariane. In the meantime, you can check out the Finlandia Cheese website for more information and other recipes. Happy weekend eating! :)

Shared with Food Friday and Food Trip Friday. 

Join | GuyLian Giveaway!

I'm a certified chocoholic. Be it a chocolate bar, a chocolate drink, chocolate cookies, or a chocolate cake, for as long as it's chocolate, I'd be more than happy (if not ecstatic) to wolf 'em down. Come to think of it... is there anybody out there who doesn't like chocolate?

So I'm pretty sure a lot of you will find this next giveaway quite hard, perhaps even impossible, to resist. 

 

Gulyian Artisanal Belgian Chocolates provide the ultimate experience for chocolate lovers. Each luxurious chocolate seashell is marbled with 100% pure, silky smooth milk, dark or white Belgian chocolate. Their irresistible seashell chocolates are filled with a rich, decadent, and luxuriously creamy chocolate truffle; the original handmade recipe of Guy & Liliane. Their signature truffle recipe is still made in small-batch copper kettles exclusively by Guylian's Master Chocolatiers in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium.   

 

Review done by Donna's Deals and More 
We were able to try out their truffles and their no sugar added chocolate bars (both the milk chocolate and dark chocolate). My favorite was the milk chocolate. I wasn't too fond of the truffles, but my husband has been eating them up. He said they have a very "rich" taste. My dad happened to be around when we got into the chocolates and loved the dark chocolate bar. 


Now one of you lucky readers will be able to try them out too! They're offering a Guylian prize pack of

• One – 22 piece box of Guylian Artisanal Belgian Original Chocolate Truffles
• Two - 6 piece Original Chocolate Truffle Box
• Four - 2 piece Original Chocolate Truffle Box

All you have to do is enter the rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Open to US only, must be 18 years or older

*Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. The Rebel Sweetheart will not be responsible for sponsor prize shipment.

 

Join | Naci Comfort Food & Dessert Bar Giveaway!

Do you want to avoid raising picky eaters? We all do!

Which is why kids should be exposed to different types of food at a young age. You may start by offering fruits and veggies...but another FUN way is by eating out in restaurants (if it's within budget, of course).

But what do you do if money is tight?
We're giving away a gift certificate worth Php1500 so you can sample Naci's delicious food. But don't take our word for it, here's a review of the restaurant.

   

Naci is located at 2F Fox Square Building, Connecticut St., Greenhills, San Juan City, Metro Manila. Contest is open to Philippine residents only. Giveaway runs from May 7 until May 12, 2012. Prize/s are not convertible to cash.

This giveaway was made possible by Anne of Green Eggs & Moms and Living Life Smarter. I met her through an online blogging/parenting community, and we've been good friends ever since. Never mind if we haven't even seen or met each other personally. :)
Also, it is through this giveaway opportunity that I met Tina of Truly Rich Mom, who is co-hosting this giveaway with me. Tina is more than just a mommy blogger, she is actually a writer, a researcher, an editor - with published works to boot! Isn't it great to be surrounded by people who inspire you? :)

 Anyway, on to the giveaway. Cast your entries in the Rafflecopter below. Please be patient as it takes a few moments for the form to load. And remember to enter everything to increase your chances of WINNING!