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 | Chicken and Pepper Egg Rolls.

It's that time of the year again - when your fridge will be filled with leftover food from the New Year. I know, because I still have leftover ham and chicken from two days ago. Haha! Now if you're stuck in the same rut as I am, here's what you can do with the leftover chicken. 

Chicken and Pepper Egg Rolls

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
2 large bell peppers (any color) cut into thin strips
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
12 egg roll wrappers
cooking oil for frying

Procedure:
1. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil.  Saute pepper and onion for at least five minutes.
2. Add the chicken strips to the pan. Saute for another five minutes.
3. Add soy sauce, garlic and ginger and stir well. Cook until most liquid has evaporated.
4. Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes. Adding hot ingredients to the egg roll wrappers will cause them to break down and leak, so make sure the filling has been cooled properly.
5. Once cooled, lay several strips of chicken, onion and peppers in the center of an egg roll wrapper that has been laid on a surface with one point toward you. Fold the right point over and under the filling. Fold the top and bottom points down and roll from right to left, securing the left point with a touch of water.
6. Repeat with all wrappers and filling. Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry egg rolls, turning over once during cooking, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving.

Eating healthy? Try baking them in the oven at 350° F for 10-12 minutes instead.

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

Foodie Goodie | Confetti Cake.

Christmas may be over and done with, but the festivities aren't because we still have the New Year (and New Year's Eve parties) to look forward to! And if you're that kind of party host who likes preparing everything from scratch - from appetizers to entrees to dessert, here's a cake recipe that's sure to ring in the New Year with a bang!

Confetti Cake

Ingredients:

Cake 

1 1-pound box angel food cake mix 

1/4 cup colored candy sprinkles 

Frosting 

2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin 

8 teaspoons cold water 

2 cups whipping cream (unwhipped) 

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Colored sprinkles 

Decorations 

2 decorative cake sprays (available at party stores) 

Wire star garland (available at party stores) 

1 sheet of shiny or metallic colored paper (for year star) 

Marker Tape

Procedure:
1. Follow the directions on the cake mix box, but just before pouring the batter into the tube pan, add the sprinkles.
2. Mix them quickly and gently with as few strokes as possible and pour the batter into the pan immediately. If you mix and pour too slowly, the colors may bleed and color the surrounding batter.
3. Make the frosting right before you plan to apply it so that it doesn't set. For best results, apply the frosting, sprinkles, and decoration no more than an hour before serving.
4. Combine the gelatin and water in a small saucepan. Let it stand until thick.
5. Set the pan over low heat, stirring constantly until the gelatin dissolves. Don't let it boil, as that would reduce the gelling power of the gelatin.
6. Remove the gelatin from the heat. While it cools a bit, combine the cream, sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl and whip them with an electric mixer until the mixture thickens slightly.
7. Gradually pour the liquid gelatin (don't let it set) into the whipped cream mixture and continue to beat at slow speed until blended. Then whip it at high speed until it's stiff and peaks form when you lift the beaters. 8. Frost the completely cooled cake with a generous, fluffy layer, making swirls and peaks as you go.
9. Add confetti (colored sprinkles) and the sparkly year decoration. (Tip: Apply the sprinkles to the sides of the cake by lightly tossing them against the frosting. After sticking the store-bought metallic sprays entwined with a star garland into the cake, cut a 2-inch star out of paper, write the year numerals on it, and tape it to the sprays.) 
10. Store the cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

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

Happy baking folks, and Happy New Year! :)

Foodie Goodie | Jack Skellington Cupcakes.

With the Day of the Dead just around the corner, I'm sure there are lots of Halloween parties happening left and right. If you're hosting one, here's an idea. Spice up (or should I say 'spook up'?) your dessert table with this quirky treat inspired by the king of Halloween himself - Jack Skellington! They make great giveaways for the kids (and kids at heart), too!

Jack Skellington Cupcakes

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter softened
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vinegar

For the frosting
White buttercream frosting
2 toothpicks
Tube of black decorator's icing

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 325 °F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.
2. In a bowl. combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. Mix on low speed until blended for about 3 minutes.
3. Add in butter, vinegar and eggs 1 at a time until combined. Slowly add milk to batter until completely mixed, scraping down the bowl as you mix.
4. Scoop batter into baking cups filling about 2/3 full. Bake until a toothpick  inserted in the center comes out clean, about 17 to 20 minutes.
5. Frost the cupcakes using the white buttercream.
6. For each cupcake, use the tip of a toothpick to lightly etch the outline of two large Jack Skellington eyes in the frosting.
7. Slowly pipe black decorator's icing onto the etched lines and then fill in the inner circles. Use another toothpick to spread and smooth the icing.
8. Pipe on two short lines for a nose. Next, pipe a long line across the bottom of the cupcake for the mouth. 9. For the finishing spooky touch, randomly top the mouth with a bunch of short icing barbs.

Shared with Food Friday and Food Trip Friday.

Foodie Goodie | Hawaiian Chicken.

Thinking of what to serve your kids this weekend?
Here's a sweet and tangy chicken dish that my four-year-old loves - aside from the usual fried chicken and his all-time favorite chicken curry. I'm pretty sure your little ones will enjoy this, too.

Hawaiian Chicken

Ingredients:
500 grams boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

Hawaiian Sauce
1 can pineapple chunks
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon flour

Procedure:
1. Rub chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
2. Place flour on a plate and coat the chicken on both sides with flour, pressing to make sure it adheres. Shake off excess flour.
3. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces to the skillet. Cook by batches to make sure that the skillet doesn't get too crowded.  Add more oil if necessary.
4. Sauté chicken for 4 minutes,until it turns golden brown . Adjust the heat  if needed.
5. Turn the cutlets and continue to sauté for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until chicken is brown on all sides and cooked throughout. Transfer the chicken pieces to a plate and set aside.
6. Next, make the sauce by adding the pineapple chunks (juice included), brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, cloves, paprika and salt. Return the skillet to medium heat and stir for a minute.
7. Add the tablespoon of flour and continue to heat the sauce, stirring to collect any remaining juices and brown bits from pan, and allowing it to thicken slightly.
8. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve with white rice.

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

Foodie Goodie | Caesar Coleslaw.

Taking a stab at healthy eating?
Here's a salad recipe that's easy peasy to make. Prepare this dish the day before serving and refrigerate overnight so that the dressing soaks well into the vegetables.

Caesar Coleslaw

Ingredients:

Dressing
1 cup low-fat mayonnaise
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Salad
8 cups of shredded cabbage
2 cups of shredded carrots
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 cups croutons

Procedure:
1. In a large serving bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, and pepper.
2. Add the cabbage, carrots, and scallions to the bowl and toss to coat.
3. Cover and refrigerate the salad overnight, or until ready to serve.
4. Top with croutons prior to serving.

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

Foodie Goodie | Peanut Butter Cup Brownies.

Sorry for the lack of updates. It's been a crazy, stressful week at school (my little man's school, to be exact) and I just was not in the mood to write for the past couple of days. I'm thankful for the weekend - time off from school, and I get two days to rest at home, update my blog, do the laundry, and watch my favorite Kdramas.

And I can get to experiment in the kitchen, too! Here's another recipe using my all-time favorite spread. And you know I'm talking about peanut butter. :)

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Ingredients:

1 batch brownies batter, made without nuts
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1 1/2 ounces soft cream cheese
1 large egg
1/4 cup sugar

Procedure:
1. Line 18 to 20 cups of a standard muffin tin with bake cups.
2. Combine the filling ingredients in a medium-size bowl and beat them with an electric mixer until evenly blended. The texture should be like whipped peanut butter. If it's not stiff enough, add some more peanut butter.
3. Fill each muffin cup about halfway with brownie batter.
4. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of peanut butter filling into the center, pushing it down slightly into the batter.
5. Cover the filling with another spoonful of batter, making sure that the cups are no more than about two thirds to three quarters full.
6. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, just until well risen and cracked on top.
7. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes.
8. Remove the brownies from the pan and place them directly on the wire rack. Allow them to cool before serving.

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

Foodie Goodie | Tacos Deluxe.

What to do with left-over ground beef? Make tacos, of course! Tacos are perhaps one of the easiest dishes to make, plus you call the shots on what to put in it.

Me want tacos!

Tacos Deluxe

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo ground beef
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 cup salsa
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
16 hard taco shells
Iceberg lettuce, shredded
Grated cheese
Sour cream
Guacamole

Procedure:
1. In a small bowl, mix chili powder, garlic, cumin, salt, coriander, paprika and black pepper.
2. In large skillet, heat oil until it shimmers. Add onion and cook 4-5 minutes or until translucent.
3. Add the seasoning mix, stir it so it combines with the onion. Cook for about a minute.
4. Add the beef, make sure you break the chunks so it cooks through properly.
5. Once the beef is cooked, drop the tomatoes and salsa, stirring to combine. Cook for about a minute, or until heated through.
6. Heat taco shells according to packaging directions.
7. Divide meat mixture among shells.
8. Serve with lettuce, cheese, sour cream and guacamole.


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

Foodie Goodie | Hummingbird Nests.

Admit it, you missed my Foodie Goodie Friday posts. I missed it, too! I've been swamped with products reviews and blog campaigns lately that I haven't had the time to tinker in the kitchen or cook a proper, full-course meal.

Anyhow, I'm squeezing in this quick food post because a reader sent in a request for an Easter recipe. This recipe is a quick one, too. But you'll have tons of fun making it with your child. Enjoy!

Hummingbird Nests

Ingredients:

1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup shredded coconut
Egg-shaped candies (M&M's Peanut or jelly beans will do)


Procedure:
1. Melt the chocolate chips, following the directions on the bag.
2. When the chocolate is smooth, stir in the coconut.
3. Drop the mixture by the heaping tablespoon onto waxed-paper-lined cookie sheets.
4. While the 'nests' are still warm, use your thumbs to poke an impression into the middle of each.
5. Allow the 'nest' to cool, then fill with egg-shaped candies.

As seen on Spoonful. 
Shared with Food Friday, Food Trip Friday, Heavenly Treats Sunday.

Foodie Goodie | Chocolate Mint Brownies.

Thinking of giving food gifts for Christmas? That's a great idea too, as long as it's not the traditional fruit cake - which most people hate anyway.

If you're baking for the holidays, here's a gift idea that you can try - Chocolate Mint Brownies! They're quite easy to make, and yummy, too! Definitely a better and tastier alternative to stale bread soused with candied fruit and rum.

Ingredients:

BROWNIES

1/2 cup butter

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

MINT FROSTING

1/4 cup softened butter

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 to 3 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

Green food coloring

CHOCOLATE TOPPING

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Procedure:

1. Heat the oven to 350º and grease a 9-inch square baking pan. For the brownies, place the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute, stir, and microwave for 1 minute more. Stir until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs. Stir in the chocolate and the vanilla extract. Finally, stir in the flour and salt until thoroughly combined. Pour into the prepared pan, then bake for 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for at least 1 hour.

2. To make the mint frosting, cream the butter and confectioners' sugar. Add the milk 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until it is smooth and spreadable. Beat in the peppermint extract and tint to the desired shade with green food coloring. Frost the cooled brownies, cover, and chill for 1 hour.

3. To make the chocolate topping, pour the chips into a microwave-safe bowl, add the butter, and microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes or until the chocolate melts. Stir until smooth. Pour the chocolate over the brownies and smooth it with a knife. Refrigerate for 45 minutes or until the coating hardens.

4. Bring the brownies to room temperature, then cut into 16 to 32 pieces. Layer them on a piece of cellophane; remember to place waxed paper between the layers to prevent sticking.

5. Wrap the brownie package and tie with a ribbon (red or gold would be best).

As seen on Spoonful. Shared with Food Friday, Food Trip Friday, Heavenly Treats Sunday.

Foodie Goodie | Meeska, Mooska, Mickey Mouse!

The little man turns four this November, and as early as the first week of September, the preparations for his birthday celebration began. That's the way it has been ever since his first birthday.

First Birthday, Justice League.

After his Justice League birthday party in 2009, I made it a point to have a themed birthday party every year.

Second Birthday, Ben 10.

Even if his second and third birthday were just simple celebrations at home, with his godparents as guests.

Third Birthday, Phineas and Ferb.

For his fourth birthday, we're going to celebrate it at school, with Mickey Mouse as the party theme. I actually made the little man choose between Mickey Mouse and Toy Story, as these are the two available boys' party themes at McDonald's. (Yes, you guessed it right. We'll be having a McCelebration come November!)

Good thing he chose the former, as I wouldn't have that much of a problem when it comes to party ideas. Spoonful.com is teeming with Mickey Mouse crafts and recipes, and the site has been a great help for the party preparations.

Photo credit: Spoonful.com

These Mickey silhouette cake pops are just too cute to go unnoticed. They're a tad fussy to make, but I can just imagine the gleeful faces of the little man's classmates when they see this.

Photo credit: Spoonful.com

These Minnie Mouse inspired favor bags make great souvenirs, too. Stuff them with candies and little toys and they're good to go. McDonald's party package for themed celebrations come complete with lootbags and party favors, though. That way, my arts-and-crafts skills (or the lack of it) need not be challenged, lol.

As for the birthday cake, I'm still undecided if I should just go for the traditional one (complete with cake toppers and lettering) or have something similar to my Super Junior birthday cupcakes instead.

Photo credits: Spoonful.com

Either way, I'm sure the little man will have no complaints about it. He's happy for as long as he has a candle to blow, haha.

And gifts, of course. :)

Sharing this post with Food Friday, Food Trip Friday, Heavenly Treats Sunday.