Your weekend can even be more exciting when you do some grilling with the entire family. Most Filipino families love to do pork barbecue, grilled pork belly, and grilled bangus. Preparing Grilled Ribs with Pico de Gallo is also a good idea to make your outdoor grilling more enjoyable.

Grilled Ribs with Pico de Gallo is a pork rib dish that is marinated, grilled, and served with Pico de gallo. I like this dish because it is very flavorful. The pico de gallo serves as a side and an appetite enhancer because it goes well with the dish. You can also substitute it with eggplant salad (ensaladang talong) to make the meal more Filipino.

The marinade that I used is a basic Asian soy sauce marinade. This recipe can also be applied to other cuts of pork, beef, and chicken, as well.

Try this Grilled Ribs with Pico de Gallo recipe. Let me know what you think.

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Hoisin Glazed Grilled Tofu is a healthy and tangy dish that you can have for lunch; it has high protein content with low fat and cholesterol.

Is hoisin sauce vegan? Well, it should be vegan because it is derived from soy beans and it does not use any animal byproduct. However, I will still check the label because we don’t know if the other ingredients other than the usual were added.

Hoisin Glazed Grilled Tofu is perfect with steamed or stir fry vegetables. You can also have it with brown rice on the side.

Try this Hoisin Glazed Grilled Tofu recipe. Let me know what you think.

Hoisin Glazed Tofu Recipe

Ingredients

• 14 oz. extra firm tofu, sliced into 1/2 inch thick pieces
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• A pinch of salt and pepper

Cooking Procedure

1. Combine hoisin sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
2. Brush the mixture all over the tofu to coat. Let it stand for 1 hour.
3. Grill the tofu in medium heat for about 10 minutes per side. Baste with the remaining hoisin sauce mixture.
4. Transfer to a serving plate. Serve with steamed broccoli.
5. Serve. Share and enjoy!

Number of servings (yield): 2

My rating 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 15 review(s)

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Tartar sauce is a rich and creamy sauce. It is usually used for deep fried coated fish and seafood dishes. Did you know that Tartar sauce is made from mayonnaise? It is basically 90% mayonnaise plus other ingredients.

Preparing tartar sauce has never been easier. All you have to do is combine all the ingredients and mix them altogether.

This is one of my favorite dip for coated deep fried fish and seafood: coated fish fillets, calamari, deep-fried mussels to name a few. I also use this as a spread for fish sandwich because it makes the sandwich taste better.

Try this Tartar sauce recipe. Let me know what you think.

Tartar Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons yellow onion, finely minced
• 2 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Cooking Procedure

1. Combine mayonnaise and lemon juice in a bowl. Mix well.
2. Whisk in the sweet pickle relish and onion.
3. Add salt and pepper and then continue whisking until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
4. Cover and then chill in the fridge for a couple of hours.
5. Serve with your favorite fried fish dishes.
6. Share and enjoy!

Number of servings (yield): 4

My rating 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 10 review(s)

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Fried fish sandwich is a delicious sandwich recipe involving mahi-mahi fillets. The fish is dredged in flour, dipped in beaten egg, and then coated with bread crumbs. The sandwich is assembled with lettuce, tomato, and tartar sauce.

This is a quick and easy meal to serve during lunch. In fact, this makes a good school lunch for your kids. While mahi-mahi is the suggested type of fish in this recipe, you can also use other types. For example, tilapia, cod, and even whiting fillets make good fish sandwiches.

If you are looking for a version with less grease, try baking the coated fish in the oven in 350F for about 25 minutes. This will result will have no grease, but the color may not be the appetizing golden brown that you expect. The taste is still good though.

Try this Fried Fish Sandwich recipe. Let me know what you think.

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Mushroom and Spinach Omelet is a good meal idea for breakfast. This healthy dish involves spinach, mushrooms, and beaten egg. I tried using olive oil to make it more health friendly.

Preparing mushroom omelet is simple. You don’t need to be a chef in order to make one. I would recommend tough that you use non-stick pans to prevent the egg from sticking so that it would easily glide from the pan to your plate. If you want this this to have less cholesterol, you can use egg whites instead or at least reduce the egg yolks.

I like having Mushroom and Spinach Omelet with toast. It’s a simple meal that fits me right. A glass of healthy soy milk will also make my day. How about you, how do you like Mushroom and Spinach Omelet?

Try this Mushroom and Spinach Omelet recipe. Let me know what you think.

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Tofu and Broccoli stir fry is a tasty dish that you can cook for lunch or dinner. The good thing about this recipe is its ease in preparation and the ingredients are readily available in most supermarkets.

As I mentioned, this dish is easy to make. All you need are slices of extra-firm tofu and broccoli florets. The tofu needs to be fried first until the texture of the outer part becomes crisp. Once this is done, you can stir-fry all the ingredients.

This is best served with rice. Any kind of rice will be a good fit. Sometimes I like it with steamed white rice, while there are days wherein I eat tofu and broccoli stir fry with brown rice. There are times when I crave for this dish along with Yang chow fried rice.

Try this Tofu and Broccoli Stir fry recipe. Let me know what you think.

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How can you have your kids eat enough food and finish their vegetables? This is a question that most parents are asking for the longest time. Let’s face it, kids are picky eaters; they will choose fried food over healthy ones and often avoid vegetables. Barbecue Pork Chop with Mixed veggies might be the answer that you are looking for.

When my children were young, all they want is fried chicken, hotdogs, spaghetti, and French fries. Do your kids have the same preference too? It is to have them finish their vegetables; most of the time, they leave the veggies untouched. Throughout the years, I learned from observation that kids prefer food that looks attractive and colorful. Yes, they want fried food, but grilled food can do as long as it is sweet and flavorful. This is where this BBQ pork chop with mixed veggies comes in.

Serving lean Barbecue pork chop with a variety of colorful vegetables can increase the appetite of your kids. It also has less fat compared to fried chicken (as long as you do not include pork fat). This can be served with white or brown rice.

There are many commercialized BBQ sauces in the market. It will be better if you will use the sweeter blend like the hickory and brown sugar BBQ sauce that I used.

Try this Barbecue Pork Chop with Mixed Veggies recipe. Let me know what you think.

Barbecue Pork Chop with Mixed Veggies

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. lean pork chop
• 2 cups of hickory and brown sugar BBQ sauce
• 4 cups frozen mixed vegetables
• 3 tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper

Cooking Procedure

1. Season the pork chop with salt and pepper.
2. Coat the pork chops with barbecue sauce. Let it stay for 3 hours.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan.
4. Add the mixed vegetables. Cook for 5 minutes.
5. Sprinkle some salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
6. Grill the pork chops in medium heat for about 10 to 12 minutes per side (depending on thickness). Baste with remaining BBQ sauce.
7. Transfer on a serving plate. Serve with mixed veggies and mashed potatoes.
8. Share and enjoy!

Number of servings (yield): 4

My rating 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 27 review(s)

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Scallop and Zucchini Stir fry is a simple way to cook Zucchini. It involves sautéing the zucchini with sweet peppers and scallops. Sounds good, doesn’t it? It tastes great too.

Whenever I wanted to reset my palate, I try to eat light dishes. This is one dish that I turn to because I think that this is a light dish and the flavors are mild. I usually eat this plainly without rice or any side dish. However, we all know that this goes better with steamed white rice.

There are other vegetables that you can use aside from zucchini. For example, yellow squash can be a good alternative. You can also substitute the scallop with small to medium shrimp. Some of you might not be fans of fish sauce. That is alright, try to use salt instead.

Try this Scallop and Zucchini Stir fry recipe. Let me know what you think.

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Sautéed String Beans with Chicken is another easy dinner recipe that we have for you. This recipe involves string beans, which are locally known in the Philippines as “sitaw”. This dish resembles ginisang sitaw in some ways.

I like having Sautéed String Beans with Chicken during ordinary days. Eating this with steamed white rice works best for me. Sometimes, I like having it with a dash of fish sauce and chili flakes. Did you know that you can cook string beans in many ways? Adobong sitaw is probably the simplest. Ginataang sitaw at kalabasa, on the other hand, will make you eat more rice that you usually do.

Aside from chicken, this dish can be prepared using pork or beef slices. You can also use Shrimp and squid rings as a substitute for chicken in this recipe.

Try this Sautéed String Beans with Pork recipe. Let me know what you think.

Sautéed String Beans with Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 cups string beans cut about 2 1/2 inch length
• 1/4 lb. boneless chicken breast, sliced into thin pieces
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup French fried onion
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil

Cooking Procedure

1. Heat the cooking oil in a pan.
2. Sauté the garlic and onion
3. Add the chicken slices. Cook for 3 minutes.
4. Put-in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and water. Stir and then cover the pan. Simmer until the water nearly evaporates.
5. Increase the heat to high and then add the string beans. Cook while stirring for 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Transfer to a serving plate. Top with French fried onion.
8. Serve. Share and enjoy!

Number of servings (yield): 4

My rating 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 45 review(s)

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One way to pump-up a Grilled Cheese sandwich is to add more ingredients. Grilled Cheese Ham and Egg Sandwich is one example. This is what you’ll get when you add delicious black forest ham and an egg cooked over easy on a grilled cheese sandwich. Doesn’t it look great?

I like to have Grilled Cheese Ham and Egg Sandwich for breakfast. This is my way of “eating like a king” during the first meal of the day. They say that it helps boosts the metabolism if you start your day with heavy food, so I always gave it a try. However, I think that I am overdoing it though.

There are other ways to load your grilled cheese sandwich. I will be featuring more as we go along. Enjoy your meal!

Try this Grilled Cheese Ham and Egg Sandwich. Let me know what you think.

Grilled Cheese Ham and Egg Sandwich

Ingredients

• 2 slices of whole grain bread
• 1 egg cooked over easy
• 2 ounces sliced black forest ham
• 1 slice of Swiss or cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Cooking Procedure

1. Heat a non-stick frying pan.
2. Spread half of the butter on one side of the first bread slice.
3. When the pan becomes hot, put in the bread (buttered side down)
4. Arrange the cheese and ham on top of the bread.
5. Spread the remaining butter on the second bread slice. Top the second bread slice on the ham (buttered side up). Let it cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until the cheese melts.
6. Flip the bread using a spatula to cook the other side of the bread. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
7. Remove the bread from the pan and then place in a plate.
8. Remove the second bread slice and arrange the egg on top of the ham. Put the second bread slice over the egg.
9. Serve. Share and enjoy!

Number of servings (yield): 1

My rating 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 23 review(s)

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Buttermilk Cornbread is a type of cornbread that uses buttermilk as one of its ingredients. Cornbread, on the other hand, is generally defined as a type of quick bread that makes use of cornmeal. This recipe is quick and easy and its outcome is something that you will like.

Preparing buttermilk cornbread is simple mixing all the ingredients together. You can use an electric mixer to make your work easier, but this is something that can be done manually by the use of a wire whisk. I used this simple tool (as you can see in the cooking video) and it worked fine with me.

One optional ingredient that I added were corn kernels. I used the canned ones for this recipe and I think that this enhanced the bread in terms of flavor and texture, as well.

Have you tried baking your own buttermilk cornbread lately? This goes well with BBQ chicken and ribs. Sometimes, I have this for breakfast along with a cup of coffee.

Try this Buttermilk Cornbread recipe. Let me know what you think.

Buttermilk Cornbread recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 1/8 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup AP flour
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 9 tablespoons granulated white sugar
• 1 cup whole kernel corn (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Watch the cooking video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHA-Qsaa380

Cooking Procedure

1. Combine buttermilk and baking soda. Stir and set aside.
2. Beat the eggs and then add the butter and buttermilk mixture while stirring.
3. Gradually add-in sugar, salt, cornmeal, flour, and whole kernel corn. Continue mixing until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
4. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes.
5. Let the temperature cool. Slice and serve.
6. Share and enjoy!

Number of servings (yield): 6

My rating 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 24 review(s)

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Baked Chicken Nuggets makes a good snack for your kids. Aside from the fact that children love this food, it is also less greasy because there is no frying involve. In addition, you are also assured that there are no other filler ingredients – what you get is only the goodness of 100% chicken breast.

Good baked chicken nuggets should be tender. Most of the commercial chicken nuggets are tender because they were made from processed meat. This means that each piece is composed of different ground chicken parts. Don’t worry; we can still make tender chicken nuggets without sacrificing quality. One of method that I do is to marinate the chicken breast in buttermilk.

Each piece of baked chicken nuggets is best if the outer part is crisp. I made that possible by coating the chicken pieces in ordinary bread crumbs. You can also use Italian of Panko bread crumbs. You can use your favorite condiment to dip your nuggets in.

Try this Baked Chicken Nuggets recipe. Let me know what you think.

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I enjoyed eating pulled chicken sandwich. This is similar to pulled pork sandwich except that we use boneless and skinless breast for this recipe.

We’ll use a slow cooker to make pulled chicken BBQ sandwich. Slow cooking releases the entire flavor from the chicken while making it tender. This makes your pulled chicken sandwich more enjoyable.

The cooking method is straightforward and simple. All you need to do is to combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker and wait. I usually prepare this early in the morning if I intend to eat it for lunch. It goes well with your choice of chips. I also like to have it with coleslaw on the side.

You can also serve this during a backyard BBQ party along with Galbi and BBQ baby back ribs.

Try this Pulled Chicken BBQ Sandwich recipe. Let me know what you think.

Pulled Chicken BBQ Sandwich recipe

Ingredients

• 3 (4 oz.) chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• 1 1/4 cups sweet barbeque sauce
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar (or white vinegar)
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• a dash of ground black pepper
• 3 (6 inches) sub sandwich bread

Cooking Procedure

1. Combine the BBQ sauce, vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper in a bowl. Mix well.
2. Place the chicken in a slow cooker and then pour-in the sauce mixture.
3. Slow cook in low for about 5 to 6 hours. Shred the chicken on the 3rd hour and then continue to slow cook. Keep an eye on the cooker to ensure that there is still enough liquid.
4. Arrange the slow cooked chicken BBQ in the middle of each sub.
5. Serve. Share and enjoy!

My rating 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 15 review(s)

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Easy Beef with Broccoli is another of our beef and broccoli variation. Its obvious that I really love this dish, isn’t it? This version is quick and simple. If you are new to cooking, this recipe is appropriate for you.

This Easy Beef with Broccoli uses ingredients that you can easily find in your local supermarket. Don’t forget that we also use the broccoli stem here, so do not throw them away. The nutrients of this vegetable is not only limited in the florets; this means that broccoli stems are nutritious too so it is important that we utilize them as well.

We all know that the tenderloin is the tenderest part of the beef. Using this cut will save us cooking time because we do not need to simmer the meat to make it softer. This makes this easy beef broccoli not only easy — it is also quicker to prepare. Are you ready to make one for yourself? Why don’t you gather all the ingredients first and then go back here again to check this recipe. See you soon.

Try this Easy Beef with Broccoli recipe. Let me know what you think.

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One of the easiest and best tasting pork chop recipes that I tried is  Slow Cooked Pork Chop with Mushroom Gravy. This dish is very delicious, tender, and comforting. The good news about it is that you do not need to exert too much effort in cooking because all the magic happens inside the slow cooker — all you need to do is to thicken the gravy afterwards.

As I’ve mentioned, you will be needing a slow cooker to cook this dish. If you do not have one yet, there are many slow cookers brands that you can choose from — remember that we don’t need fancy equipments to cook this dish: the simplest slow cooker is enough. I guess that some of you might ask if you can do Slow Cooked Pork Chop on the stove top; while  we can use a stove top to simmer dishes for an hour or 2, it is still advisable to use a slow cooker because you can control the heat better. On the other hand, you can try placing this in an conventional oven, but make sure to place all the ingredients in a Dutch oven first and cover it well.

Slow cooking food is one thing that I love to do when I am not in a hurry because it brings out all the flavor from the ingredients. Slow food is definitely better than quick ones in terms of taste and health benefits. I suggest that you also try to slow cook your food at least once a week; you’ll distinguish the difference between slow food and foods cooked faster right after your first bite.

Try this Slow Cooked Pork Chop with Mushroom Gravy recipe. Let me know your thoughts.

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Oven baked Fench Fries is a recipe for French fries that makes use of a conventional oven. This version is good because the final product has lesser fat and cholesterol compared to deep-fried fries because lesser oil was used — I also wanted to add that we used a healthy type of oil called olive oil.

Preparing oven baked Fench Fries is easier than you think. It is less complicated and safer to do as well. Don’t get me wrong though because even if our fries is healthier than the regular ones, you should still eat in moderation because this is high in carbohydrates. This means that you can gain weight if you do not burn enough calories. Make sure that you balance eating with physical activities so that you are enjoying your food while taking care of your body.

Take note that I used baking potatoes for this Oven baked Fench Fries recipe.There are many kinds of potatoes in the supermarket, make sure that you pick the right one since this is the best type for this recipe as far as I am concerned.

Try this Oven baked Fench Fries recipe. Let me know what you think.

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Steamed Okra and Bagoong is a very simple Filipino appetizer consisting of okra and shrimp paste. This can also be considered as a main dish. Okra is steamed, blanched, and then served with shrimp paste. This is eaten by dipping the vegetable on the shrimp paste to add flavor.

I tried eating boiled okra before but the texture did not appeal much to me;  it felt like eating wilted vegetable. In order to remedy the texture, I opted to steam the okra and quickly blanch it to maintain the crisp texture and color. It is now more appealing to the eye and the palate.

The bagoong that I used was the commercialized spicy bagoong that you can always get in the Asian store. There are a few brands and varieties available, so its up to your preference. If in case you want to make your own bagoong guisado, you can always try our bagoong recipe.

Aside from okra, this method is also applicable to Chinese kangkong or the local Filipino kangkong. Have you ever heard of Kangkong with bagoong?

Try this Steamed Okra and Bagoong recipe. Let me know what you think.

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>>Download the Free eCookbook here<<

Beef Empanada (also called empanadas) is a type of ground beef turnover. Empanada is of Hispanic influence which was adopted by the colonies and prepared according to the local preference. For example, the empanada in Spain is not exactly the same as those in Latin American countries, and even in the Philippines.

This beef empanada recipe is what I used to make ever since I started to make one. The recipe is simple and very easy to follow. The beef filling is easier to prepare compared to giniling, while the dough can be perfected with a little patience.

I understand that most of us don’t have the luxury of time. If you are in a hurry, you can still make your own beef empanada by cooking the filling — and use ready made rolled pie crust. The pie crust might not be as good as our dough, but it is enough for you to complete your empanada faster with lesser effort.

This recipe requires you to deep fry the empanadas, but you can also bake it if you prefer it less greasy. I suggest that you follow the steps that I did when I made baked chicken empanada.

Try this Beef Empanada recipe. Let me know what you think.

Beef Empanada recipe

Ingredients

Filling:

• 1 lb. ground beef (85% lean)
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup green peas
• 1 small yellow onion, minced
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil

Dough:

• 3 cups AP flour
• 1 egg
• 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 parts
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons granulated white sugar
• 6 tablespoons ice cold water
• 3 cups cooking oil (for frying)

Cooking Procedure

1. Make the filing by heating 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan.
2. Saute the onion and then add the ground black pepper.
3. Put-in the beef and then cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add the raisins, paprika, sugar, and salt. Stir and then pour-in the beef broth.
5. Cover and then simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Remove the cover and let the liquid evaporate.
7. Add the green peas.Stir and then cook for 2 minutes.
8. Turn-off the heat. Set aside.
9. Prepare the dough by placing the salt, AP flour, baking powder, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Use a wire whisk to mix the ingredients.
10. Put the butter pieces in the mixing bowl along with the cold water. Mix using a pastry blender. If you don’t have one, use 2 kitchen knives instead. You should mix like you are cutting the dough in several pieces.
11. Grab about 3 tablespoons of the mixture and then shape it into a ball. do this until all the dough is consumed.
12. Refrigerate the dough balls for about 20 to 25 minutes.
13. Flatten the dough ball by gently pressing the center with your hand against a clean flour-dusted flat surface. Use a rolling pin to spread the dough and make a flat circle about 4 to 5 inches in diameter.
14. Arrange about 4 to 5 tablespoons of filling in the middle of the dough. Lock the edges by folding or by pressing the tip of a fork in both sides.
15. Meanwhile, heat about 2 to 3 cups of oil in a cooking pot. Deep fry the empanadas for about 3 to 5 minutes or until the color turns golden brown.
16. Remove from the cooking pot and then arrange in a plate linewd with paper towels. Let the excess oil drip-off.
17. Transer to a serving plate.
18. Serve. Share and enjoy!

My rating 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 23 review(s)

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Making Filipino Omelet is quick and easy. The procedure is so simple to the point that newbies can easily understand and apply. Tomato, onion, and eggs are the basic components of this recipe — other vegetables can be added according to preference.

I make Filipino omelet for breakfast if I have around 12 minutes to spare. This is the average time needed to complete this dish. Sometimes, I  add a can of sardines or tuna flakes to create variations. I find it best to eat with hot pandesal.

Before I forget, let me share with you a tip on how to easily cook both sides of the omelet while keeping the round shape intact especially when you are using a wide pan. You see, it becomes a challenge to flip the omelet depending on the size of your spatula and pan. One technique that I do is to slide the omelet to a plate. I then place the plate with the omelet (uncooked side on top) on my left hand while I cover the plate with the pan using my right hand. At this point, all I needed is to flip the pan back to its position while holding the plate against it. After I removed the plate from the pan, the uncooked side of the omelet is facing down and ready to be cooked.

Try this Filipino Omelet recipe. Let me know what you think.

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