BEEF CALDERETA (Beef Stew)

This dish is one of my favorite Filipino dishes. In the Philippines, Caldereta (sometimes spelled as "Kaldereta") is cooked with goat instead of beef. Ooh! Sounds exotic huh? I don't think I have not tried that..unless I had one without knowing it was goat instead of beef. LOL.

Nowadays, you can always find an instant mix to make this dish with. Even abroad, you can easily find the mix in Asian stores. But of course, making it from scratch is always the best! So here's one Viand I'd like to share with you that is great with white rice - the BEEF CALDERETA!

 

Ingredients:

2 lbs. beef, cut in cubes

1 can/ cup tomato sauce

1 medium tomato, diced

1/2 cup liver spread

1/2 cup black olives

1 cup potatoes, cut in cubes

1 cup carrots, cut in cubes

1/2 cup green bell pepper, cut in squares

1/2 cup red bell pepper, cut in squares

2-3 cups tap water

1/2 cup chopped onions

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 tbsp vegetable oil

chili peppers

bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

On medium-high, heat vegetable oil and sauté garlic and onion. Add diced tomatoes then the beef. Once the meat is brown, add 2 cups of water and simmer for about an hour until the meat is tender. Pour the tomato sauce and add the liver spread. Once the sauce starts to thicken, add the carrots and after about 8 minutes, add the potatoes. Once potatoes are tender, add the remaining ingredients- black olives, red and green peppers, bay leaves and chili peppers to make it a bit spicy. Lastly, the salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with white rice. 

SHARP CHEDDAR GOLDFISH CRACKERS

Snack time!!! My kids love to eat snack. Sometimes its hard to come up with new ideas. You know...something different to snack on. Lately, instead of coming up with a new snack, we have been trying to make our own snack. Here is the latest the we have made - GOLDFISH CRACKERS.

I don't have a small fish shaped pastry cutter so I have decided to make my own using aluminum. I made 3 pieces (one for each of my kids and one for myself). That way..we don't fight over it. Ha ha!

These crackers usually don't stay cool because after waiting a minute from the time its out of the oven it goes straight to being digested. :)

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

2-4 tbsp water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix flour, butter, cheese, salt, and pepper together in a mixing bowl.  Add 2 to 4 tbsp water, one tbsp at a time, and only enough so that the dough forms a ball. Wrap the dough in a Ziploc, and cool for at least 1 hour.

Once cooled, roll the dough out to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out using you cutter.

Place them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Here's a picture of my son doing a great job lining them up.

Bake for about 10-12 minutes.

BLACK & WHITE PEPPERMINT STICKS

Candy canes..candy canes..what to do with candy canes? During Christmas, my kids get candy canes from almost everybody..teachers, classmates, school bus drivers, neighbors, church and friends. Since I have two kids who go to school now...our supply was just doubled.

I used to just throw them away after they have eaten a piece or two. But this time I thought of making making something fun and different. Again..with the help of my kids. :) 

I actually loved making these because its soooo easy. There is no baking involved. Not to mention that you don't need much ingredients! I call it the B&W PEPPERMINT STICKS!

 

So lets start!

Ingredients:

2 cups chocolate (semi-sweet) morsels
2 cups white chocolate morsels
*1/2 tsp peppermint extract
*2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup crushed candy canes
* divide into 2

 
Directions:

Microwave chocolate morsels mixed with vegetable oil 30 minutes at a time until it melts. Once smooth and melted add the extract. Put the chocolate on a mold (you may even use ice cube tray but any silicone mold is preferred) and sprinkle with some crushed candy canes. Cool in the fridge for at least half an hour.

Repeat the same directions using the white morsels and pour melted morsels on top of the cooled ones you have previously made. Sprinkle with remaining candy canes and cool. After half an hour you peppermint sticks are ready! Yum! We all loved it!

How about you? What do you do with your extra candy canes?

CHEESY CHEEZ ITS

Generally kids like to eat snacks. And as a parent, we try to make them eat the healthy ones. The healthy ones are the foods I like to make & involve them in preparing, to make sure they eat them. Otherwise make sure the snacks look really fun.

Recently, my kids and I made a home made Cheez its. I liked it because if its home made..you know the food you serve your kids. You don't have to worry about the ingredients that you actually can't even pronounce! Another thing is.. baking with your kids is one way of making good memories with them. :)

Take note that it can get really be messy at times so you always have to be prepared with extra time for cleaning.

It looks and tastes like the one you buy from the store, right? Here..let me share to you how to make some. Have fun!!!

Ingredients:

2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup all purpose flour, sifted
2-4 tablespoons water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F. Combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add the flour slowly onto the mixture. Add the water until the mixture looks like you are able to form a ball. Use rolling pin to make the mixture flat and even. Cut into small squares (0.5x0.5 in) using pizza or a pastry cutter. Poke a hole in the middle (You may use a toothpick) and bake for 10 minutes.

.Easy, right? Let me know your thoughts. Are you up for making one too?