COOKING GLAZED HAM HOME STYLE

Glazed hams are ready to cook food. When the hams are prepared, they are initially glazed and then they wrap it in cellophane. That is one of the ready to eat foods that are available in the market right now. Buying glazed ham in supermarket right now is cheaper when it was during the Christmas season.

The usual way glazed ham is cooked is by doing it inside the microwave oven. You set the oven around 30 minutes and then you put the special sauce on top of the glazed ham and then serve it. But I want it to be more simple than that. Instead of using the microwave in cooking glazed ham, I intend to use oil and pan.

In cooking glazed ham in oil, you don't have to wait 3 minutes. You must have a deep frying pan and lots of oil, vegetable oil is better since it is more healthier to our body. You have to wait only for about 15 minutes until the ham is done and then you add the sauce on top. The result is great when you cook glazed ham in oil.

FAMOUS LOMI RECIPE

Lomi is a tradional meal that has been prepared in China, as originated. This dish was brought to neighboring countries in Asia and has gain a good reputation right now. For this dish, we will be needing the following ingredients:

2 tbsp cooking oil
1/2 cup carrots thinly sliced
1/2 cup thinly sliced Baguio beans
2 cups cabbage shredded
1 8g MAGGI MAGIC SARAP (OPTIONAL)
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 cup water
250 grams lomi noodles blanched
2 whole eggs beaten

COOKING INSTRUCTION:

•Heat oil, sauté carrots and baguio beans for 3 minutes.
•Add cabbage and cook for another 2 minutes.
•Stir in MAGGI Flavor-It Super Ginisa Mix and celery. Pour in water and simmer for 3 minutes.
•Toss in lomi and beaten eggs, mix to coat lomi with the sauce and eggs and cook for 5 minutes more.
• Serve hot.

For the flavor mix alternative, you can use chicken soup for more added flavor to the noodles as you cook it.

LEARNING TO COOK MEXICAN DISHES

I was invited to dine at a newly opened restaurant. The said restaurant is owned by a Mexican chef, who just move in. Well, I have to say hello to our new chef in town and the best way to do that is to visit him at the restaurant that he opened.

The newly opened restaurant is in deed a good one. The restaurant specializes in Mexican dishes and other Mexican foods. According to the owner, he was working before in Las Vegas at the MGM grand Hotel as the Head chef of the hotel. He has prepared several dishes for some V.I.P. of the hotel like president Obama and Prime Minister Toni Blair. No wonder he has in deed mastered the cooking taste of the people because he been doing the culinary cooking for about 5 years already.

I tasted their Mexican steak and it was one of the best that I ever tasted. According to the owner, he also been teaching in the culinary school in Mexico for about 5 years. I immediately asked for the recipe of the Mexican steak that he served to us. I will be learning the recipe maybe next week.

LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT INGREDIENTS

I was told by my assistant chef that the ingredients in the restaurant is running low and it must be refilled or else many dishes will not be cooked because of the lack of the key ingredients. The last time I went to the market to do some ingredient shopping was last week. I usually do the market once a week to avoid too much expensive buying and the fare.

When it comes to buying of ingredients, the market is best place to buy these items. In the market, you can find all the things that you are looking for. From meats to vegetables and spices as well. I also do some buying in the grocery store seldom just those items that are much needed.

I remember before when I was still practicing my culinary skills, I was looking at the recipe book and found that there was one ingredient missing. It was a read snapper fish. I cannot replace the fish because that is the main ingredient of the dish that I was looking for. The recipe book did not mention any alternative for the red snapper. So changing the fish was not a good idea. I went immediately to the market and proceeded to the wet market section and found the fish that I looking for. The fresh things that you can buy in the market is the best thing you can put on your dish.

CRISPY KANG-KONG RECIPE

Let's get healthy and eating vegetables are the best of all. For this dish, these are the ingredients:

4 bunches kangkong leaves, cleaned
1-1/2 cup water
3 cups corn starch
5 cups cooking oil
1 cup flour
1 pc boiled egg, grated medium
salt and monosodium glutamate ( MSG) to taste

Let's start cooking:

1.Wash kangkong and drain leaves thoroughly. Remove leaves from stem. Set aside.
2.In a clean mixing bowl combine cornstarch, flour, egg, MSG, salt and water ( batter mixture ).
3.Mix until smooth in consistency. Heat oil to 250°F and reduce fire to medium.
4.Dip kangkong leaves one by one in batter and deep fry until crispy. Put fried leaves in a plate lined with table tissue to drain oil from kangkong leaves. Serve with sauce on the side.

KEEPING UP WITH OTHER CHEFS

I will be attending a conference and seminar thius week in a resort in the mountain. This is the venue of the annual chefs conference in the country. This will be for about 7 days and all of the chefs that are active in the porefession will be there. This is like a cooking master's degree for chefs like me. I must be there to be updated with the latest in the cooking industry and news about the culinary world.

I was also told that there will be foreign chefs around and they will participate in the conference. Usually there will be lessons and points in cooking that will be discussed during the conference. My restaurant will be handled by my assistant chef in my restaurant since I am not around. This conference is very important that is why I have to be around.

TUNA BASED DISHES, BEST FOR PREGNANT MOMS

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of HealthyTuna.com. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am on a tuna diet right now because I am expecting a child in 6 months from now. My doctor told me that tuna dishes is the best for babies, especially for their brain development stage. The doctor also asked me if I can cook dishes that are tuna based dishes and meals and that tuna is the main ingredient of the dish. Well, I can do that as a chef.

No wonder I crave for healthy tuna based dishes right now. I have a dozen recipe books that tuna is the main ingredient of the dishes. I am also now eating Japanese sushi since tuna is the main ingredient of the dish. Adding to my desire for tuna is that there are many studies that show that tuna is best to fight depression, especially in my stage as a pregnant mom. Tuna is also the best source of lean protein, vitamin D and calcium. These nutrients are very essential for pregnant women.

I have already scheduled the dishes for the week and most of the dishes that will be cooking in my kitchen are tuna based dishes only. I will try to avoid unhealthy diets like I usually eat during my cooking sessions in my house. My hubby also is very kind to do the cooking for me in the house. He understand well the importance of having a good seafood dishes cook in the house. I want the best for my coming baby and dishes with tuna on it is the best for me right now.

COOKING INVITATION IN SINGAPORE

I was called this morning by the culinary school administrator. He is the one that makes sure that all the culinary school graduates keep in touch with one another after graduation, aside from running the school administration. He told me that there is an invitation to do a culinary demo in Singapore and I was the one of those chosen to be there. It is a culinary gathering of all the chefs around the world and that is one of the most awaited gathering of chefs around the world.

What is more about this gathering is that many chefs around the world but few can join the cooking proper or there is an invitation before you can burst yourself there. Chefs gather and create more recipes and cooking 24 hours a day. The engagement would last for about 3 days.

This invitation is very important to me since this will be my first time to be there and meet almost all the best chefs in the world. There will also be some giveaways after the cooking engagement. This is much also known the Olympic of chefs. There will be competition, a friendly one, and some recipe books that will be given after the event commence. My classmate was there last year and I am now the one who will represent the culinary school. This is a once in a lifetime event that I won't miss. The venue will be in Singapore and we will stay in a hotel. The best part of this is that all expenses are shouldered by the culinary school.

IMPORTANT RESTAURANT GUIDELINES

I was doing the regular restaurant cooking when I got I call from my culinary classmate. She was in need of my help. I would admit that the restaurant industry right now is very hard, especially when you are still starting to run a restaurant. There are so many things that you have to consider before making any action in the kitchen. My friend is asking for financial help from me and I told her that she has to apply for a loan or something that would let her raise money for additional capital for her restaurant.

I remembered before, aside from the best recipe books that you must have and the skills in cooking, you must also have the amount to fuel you passion and desire in cooking. When I started my restaurant business, I borrowed a sum of money from my friends and relatives. I paid them in installments until I was able to pay the amount in full. My dishes before, I have to rely on my market suppliers for the ingredients. It was hard when you are starting a restaurant but still you must gamble and succeed in the industry.

To make the way more clear to those new chefs that want to have their own restaurant business, there are the things they must need before to start their own restaurant business:

1. Recipes books. You must have these books for references and study them often as you can. learn more recipes to make the restaurant more desired over others.
2. Location. You must select the place where you think that your restaurant will succeed. Always consider the location and parking space is also a good thought to consider.
3. Capital. You must have this or else your business will not survive day one. Borrowing is a good option and that has been the most reliable to generate funds to fuel your cooking business.
4. Presentation. Always consider the restaurant appearance and this will reflect the dishes that you cook in your restaurant.

With this four guidelines, you will be successful in the restaurant business.

GINATAANG SUGPO

INGREDIENTS:

1 tsp oil
25 gms ginger, chopped
25 gms onion, chopped
200 gms prawn
1 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp bagoong alamang
25 gms bell pepper, sliced
15 gms siling pangsigang
50 gms pechay tagalog

Directions in cooking:

in pan, heat oil and saute ginger, onions and prawn. Add coconut milk. Put bagoong alamang to taste. Add bell pepper, siling pangsigang and pechay tagalog. Steam until coconut milk is creamy. Serve while it is still hot.

PANDAN GELATIN

THE INGREDIENTS:

12 CUPS WATER
6 grams pandan leaves
1 cup white sugar
4 bars gulaman or gelatin
1 can condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk
grated cheese

Directions:

Pour water in casserole. Add pandan leaves. bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Reduce fire and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes or until pandan leaves have fully developed it's aroma. Remove the pandan leaves, add sugar and stir. Add gulaman or gelatin and stir continuously until the gulaman or gelatin has already melted. Strain. Add milk. Simmer until smooth. Add grated cheese and heat until melted. Pour in mold, chill or cool at room temperature until firm. Serve chilled.

FROZEN BANANA

Desserts are everybody's favorite and we want the most healthiest dessert for our kids and our family. Let me give you a simple recipe that you guys will surely like. it is called the Frozen Banana dessert. This is a treat that many kids would like to have for dessert.

The ingredients are the following:

1 pc ripe lacatan banana, peeled
2 pcs popsicle sticks
honey or peanut butter
toasted whet germ or chopped nuts

The cooking procedure:

Cut the banana in half or even thirds. Insert the popsicle stick lengthwise through center of each section. Wrap in plastic and place in freezer. When ready, dip in honey ( or smush with peanut) and roll in toasted whet germ of chopped nuts.

Just typing the recipe makes me fell like having one already. Simple and budget efficient for the family. A cold drink will be a good partner for this dessert.