Churros in 10 minutes!

I loved churros con chocolat the first time I tried it. I buy them while strolling at the mall and I didn't realize until a few months ago that it's so easy to make (and cheap too). The cost of the 6-pc churros I used to buy can yield dozens! Definitely saving money with these homemade treats.

Recipe:

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp white sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup water

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Mix the dry ingredients then add the wet ones. Voila, batter is ready to fry!

Tips:

• Make sure the oil is hot before actually putting the mix. Wait and watch because you don't want to brown them too much.
• If you don't have an icing tip, you can use a ziploc bag and just cut the corner to make a 'tip'. You won't have the corrugated effect though but I guess what's important is the taste. ;) 
• Make the size of the churros a bit fatter than your fingers so you won't only taste the crunchy outside.
• You can mix the salt last if you prefer a saltier taste.

For the dip, you can melt your favorite plain chocolate then add cream as you like. Serve while it's hot. Eating the churros freshly fried makes a lot of difference! :)

DISCLAIMER

I was not paid in any way to do a review of the product/s mentioned above. Everything was based on my 100% honest opinion.

Ground Turkey Recipes

I was never a fan of turkey until I bumped into Jennie-O. They have other turkey products but Lean Ground Turkey is one of my favorite. It's because I know I can do a lot with ground meats. I can saute it, fry it, partner it with my pasta and even make my own burger patties! I used to prepare meals with ground pork or ground beef, but now I put turkey into consideration.

Now-a-days, you'd never know how your food was processed. For me, it is important to look at the packaging. With this Jennie-O Ground Turkey, three things caught my attention - Lean, All Natural and 7% Fat. The reason I prefer healthy options these days is not really for me, but for my daughter and husband. The 1.25 lbs. package you see costs not more than $6 at Target. Which is probably not cheaper than the other ground meats but at least I know that it is made from all natural ingredients. With it I was able to make 3 different viands good for 3 people.

 

When cooking with ground turkey, especially this lean one (they also have extra lean), remember that they do not have much fat and you should add more spices to get the taste you want.

 

Sautee garlic and onion. Add ground turkey and cook until the meat is done. Add a little broth. Add potato cubes (you can add carrots too) and raisins. Season with salt and pepper.

Ball-ganisa (Longanisa)

Mix altogether: ground turkey, garlic, a little sugar, salt and pepper . Shape into ball then fry. Better served with sunny-side up.

 

With the remaining ground turkey, I was also able to make spring rolls. I just mixed ground turkey with minced garlic and onion, salt and pepper and added tiny cubes of carrots. I was not able to take a photo though we still have some in the freezer. I will update this post if I remember taking some photo before eating them all up.

 

I cook without measurements, I just do estimates. I do not taste what I cook but I think I do things right because my husband loves them. Or maybe he is not telling the truth! LOL. If you have other ground turkey recipe, please share so I can try them too! :)

  

 DISCLAIMER

I was given the product/s mentioned above to review and was not compensated in any other way.

 Everything was based on my 100% honest opinion.

Tips on How to Make Cake Pops

Cake pop is one of the nicest things to serve in a party. Like the regular cake, you can design them in countless ways. This is my second time to make cake pops. The first time I used a ready mix but didn't have a pan so I had to roll it manually. I thought using my hands to make a ball was better or maybe it's just because of the recipe. I got the recipe on the carton of the cake pop pans I bought. I followed the instructions carefully but if you'd look at the batter, it looks sticky and hard, plus, the result was not really round in shape. It looks acceptable in the picture though and this can come handy if you need a to decorate something that is not so round at all - like maybe a whale cake pop?



Ingredients:
3/4 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Butter
3/4 cup Cocoa
2 Eggs
3/4 cup Flour
1/4 tsp Salt
24 lollipop sticks
Chocolates to melt and coat
Assorted sprinkles*

I made 2 batches which was a good thing because I lost 1/3 of them. Some stick on the pan and it was hard to remove so I just had to discard and eat them. At least I get a free taste. Tee-Hee!

Tips in making cake pops:

1) If chocolate melts are included in the recipe, you have to do everything quick because the batter will easily turn hard or sticky.

2) Dip the stick in the melted chocolate before inserting it to the cake pop. To avoid it from falling in the dip.

3) Make sure you have a styro to stick them on after dipping and start in the middle because if you start in the edges or corner, it will fall. Well, that sounds like common sense but I made that mistake. LOL.

4) If trying 2 or more colors, always let the first color dry completely before dipping it again. Else, it will stain the other chocolate's color.

5) Put the sprinkles right after dipping. If you don't they won't stick and you'll have to dip it again to do so.

6) Always remember to put shortening on the pan and dust it with chocolate powder or flour.

Oven to 325F.

 

I am going to try making cake pops again until I find the recipe I really wanted, that is a perfectly round and moist one.

DISCLAIMER

I was not compensated in any way to do a review of the product/s or service/s mentioned above. Everything was based on my 100% honest opinion.



My First French Macarons - Success!

I was inspired to bake the famous French Macaron when my friend told me how hard it was to make them. This was my first challenge of the year so I read about some tips on how to make them from different sites. I also watched two Youtube videos demonstrating the steps and I combined what I learned plus I found out my own tips to share with you guys. But, first of all, I wanted to share the recipe I found from howtocookthat.net. To tell you, I only choose recipes with 5-star rating and this one is definitely worth-keeping! Click here to view the complete recipe.

I honestly had a hard time looking for the ingredients because I thought I'd easily find them in store. When I searched for the words "caster" and "pure icing" only did I realize I already have them at home. LOL. You only need four major ingredients to make a macaron:

1) Caster Sugar - I also read they use the term "castor". I was surprised to learn that this is the sugar I have at home - granulated cane sugar. Only this should be extra fine, almost powdery. I do not have the time to buy so I just used our blender to grate/blend/chop it. Though I saw some stores actually offer "Extra Fine Granulate Cane Sugar". Anyway, I just pressed whatever button just to cut it in smaller/finer pieces.

2) Icing Sugar - So this one is also known as powdered or confectioner's sugar! Funny I even asked the store employee if they have such and she said she doesn't have any idea.
3) Almond Meal or Flour - Almost hard to find! They don't have one at Target, Walmart and Safeway. Good thing I went to Weis and found only one brand (Bob's Red Mill Finely Ground Almond Meal/Flour) and it's gluten-free. It's the most expensive flour I've seen! I think I bought a pound for $17.99 and that's excluding tax. Now I know why macarons are expensive as they say. Friends say it costs $3 in the US and Php 60 in the Philippines.
4) Eggs - Needed at room temperature, the older the better.
5) Salt
* Gel Food Coloring - You can use any color you like! Isn't that wonderful? But you better be careful because if you need deeper shades, it might affect the batter's consistency.

Use non-stick flat parchment paper.

 

Let it sit for at least an hour.

The first batch I baked was good for a first-timer.

I still have to work on a few breaks in my foot.

The browning is normal because if not, it's going to stick in the paper. Watch them carefully even before it's done because every minute is crucial to these sensitive cookies!

The next batch, I almost burnt them, isn't that weird? It's because I used the same pans I put in the oven the first time. It didn't have time to totally cool off. So do not do that.

For more tips, head over to joyofbaking.com and howtocookthat.net

French macarons they say are the hardest cookies to bake. For me, they're just sensitive and it's lengthly especially if you don't have a good stand-alone mixer. Imagine I only used a hand-mixer, I already finished an episode of Charmed and I am still not done mixing! These times I wish I had a Kitchen-Aid mixer or at least borrowed one.

Anyway, until my next try of these cookies! I'd like to make red and black. :)

DISCLAIMER

I was not compensated in any way to do a review of the product/s or service/s mentioned above. Everything was based on my 100% honest opinion.

Where To Get Free Recipes This Baking Season

I have been baking for awhile and I can't get recipes I can keep until I tried Domino Sugar's website. I just thought of checking the websites of the brands I use and I was stuck in there. They have a lot of recipes to share. You can even subscribe to they're newsletter called the Baker's Circle where you can choose to receive recipes, promotions and just about anything related to their brand and of course, baking!

 

So, having all the ingredients at hand, except for the 4th piece of very ripe banana, I was able to finally bake some Banana Nut Bread with the help of my 2-yr old! The recipe, which I linked but would not put here because it's not really mine, is easy to make and follow. It's just that it was meant for a banana loaf, not muffins so I kind of over-cooked it for a few minutes, maybe 5-7minutes. It could have turned more moist but still, they were acceptable. I already liked how it tasted even with one banana missing. It's not that sweet and definitely not dry. I am going to use them again to bring in our Christmas party. Then, I will make sure to

1) Bake it at a lesser time
2) Use the right number of bananas
3) And last but not the least, add more walnuts!

 

 

Just last week, I got an email from Domino Sugar's Baker's Circle showcasing some holiday treats! I am so excited to try them!

DISCLOSURE

I was given a coupon for a free pack of Domino Sugar product. I was not required to do anything in return, this post was made in my own discretion. Everything was based on my 100% honest opinion.

Easy Breezy Oven-Ready Turkey

I hosted the recent Thanksgiving party at home and I should say it was easy breezy because I found Jennie-O turkey which can be prepared with no hassle! Why? Because it's oven-ready! I didn't really know how to cook a whole turkey so I thought of serving it in a different way.

 

I bought two kinds of turkey in "loaf" - one white and one white & dark. There's really not much when it comes to taste, both appeared to be soft but not saggy and you'll see the meat was processed perfectly because it's "full" or "packed", unlike the others where you'll see bubbles in the meat itself. One more thing, there's no need to buy gravy because it's already included in the pan (and by the way, the pan is included too!)! And the serving is generous! It is normally sold at $599 at Safeway but I bought it on sale for $4.99 each. Really not bad with everything in it.

 

 

In the box, there were recipe and serving suggestions. I didn't add anything so I'd know the real taste. Besides, there's really no need to put or mix it with anything because it was already good on it's own.

 

I tried to follow the instruction written on the box, and that is to bake it well-done at 165 F. It took me 3.5hrs to bake both because I wanted to make sure they are well well well done and since they were still frozen when I popped them in the oven! Tee-hee! I served it in a flower-like presentation and didn't tell my guests it's turkey until they put some on their plate. I just told them it was meatloaf, which was true, and they were surprised when I announced that it's turkey. Hahaha! This serving is one loaf, I had two of the same presentation. :)

 



So, having tried and tested it, am I going to get some! Yes, and I am going to try to put the meat in a salad, cubed! Or I can just try some other Jennie-O products.

DISCLOSURE

I was given free coupons to try Jennie-O Oven-Ready Turkey but ended up buying the products mentioned above. Everything was based on my 100% honest opinion.

Less-Work Chicken Recipe

I am the kind of person who wants to do everything quick or do things with less work needed. And that includes cooking. I always think of multi-tasking, I like that I can do more than one thing at a time. Simple meals works well for me. This Baked Chicken recipe is so easy and you only need five ingredients which I bet you always have at home.

Ingredients

• Chicken breast sliced at least 1/4 inch.
• Mayonnaise
• Parmesan cheese
• Salt
• Pepper
• Butter or margarine (optional)

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C)
2. Optional: You can use butter or margarine as oil to make the chicken less dry and to add more taste. Don't worry if you don't have them because the chicken will release it's own natural oil while baking.
3. Place the thinly sliced chicken on a pan lined with foil.
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Spread mayonnaise on top.
6. Add some parmesan cheese as much as your heart desires.
7. Sprinkle with pepper again.
8. Bake at 350F for 25-35minutes.

 

It's very unfortunate that I wasn't able to take a picture of the finished product because I got so excited to taste it, plus, my husband's already waiting.

 

While baking, remember that you can do other household chores with your 25-30 minutes or maybe rest? I did the laundry and folded clothes that time. Tee-hee!

 

So, having tried and tested the recipe, you think I am going to use it again? Definitely, for me, baking is one of the fastest and easiest way to cook! :)

 

DISCLOSURE

I was not compensated in any way to do a review of the product/s or service/s mentioned above. Everything was based on my 100% honest opinion.

Quick Meal: Home-made Burger

I am always in a hurry when in comes to cooking, even if I am a homemaker. I want something that can be easily done and served. I often fry and this is one of my favorite recipes to prepare. A homemade burger! :)

 

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground pork or beef, thawed

3-4 pcs garlic, minced

1 pc small onion, chopped

2 large eggs

2 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

Procedure:

1. Mix the ground pork, onion and garlic in a bowl.

2. Add 2 well-beaten eggs

3. Add salt and pepper

4. Add the soy sauce. Don't put too much because it can cause burnt burgers.

4. Mix well and get ready to fry! :)

 



 

For the gravy, I have tried home-made but whenever in a hurry and when I have visitors, I serve McCormick's Brown Gravy. I have tested many brands and varieties but this is my favorite. Even my guests love it. ;) You can also add mushrooms if you like.

 

That's it! A meal in less than 30 minutes! 

 

I made this recipe on my own and it was fairly good. My daughter loved it! When kids love something that means it's good, right? I can't disagree with her. ;)

DISCLAIMER

I was not compensated in any way to do a review of the product/s or service/s mentioned in this post. Everything was based on my 100% honest opinion.

Baking Tip 2

Since I started baking, I came accross several recipes which I considered my favorite and I swear I have been using them until this moment. I have also tried those that come in a box but "from scratch" is my favorite.

With regards to the outcome, I sometimes get a good one, though there are times it's the other way around. I got one really moist carrot cake once and when I did it again, the texture was different. The latter was rather dry and I saw a few uncooked or raw crumbs of flour. So I wondered, how come it was perfect the first time but then a disaster on the next? Then I tried for the third time and noticed how I measure the ingredients. Problem identified!

The solution is to just simply FOLLOW THE RECIPE. especially if you are not yet an outstanding baker. I know there will come a time where I can make my own recipe, but for now, I'll settle for the tried and tested already.

Sometime next week, I'll be trying a few recipes from a website. I will surely follow the instructions carefully. Tee-hee!

Baking Tip 1

I started baking just a few months ago because I wanted to learn how to make fondant-covered cakes. It's not that hard to do it from scratch as long as you follow the directions in the recipe carefully. And it's not as boring as I thought it is.

I do have the recipe for this blueberry cake but it's not mine and I didn't get the permission to post it yet. I will sure do in my next posts. And hopefully in time, I can make my own recipe. Oh, this excites me the more. I am not an expert (yet) but every time I bake, I learn something to improve on the next time.

The first tip I am going to share is:
USE ONLY THE BEST INGREDIENTS.

Yes, the  ingredients matter, a lottt. I only use the brands I trust starting with sugar. Domino for me offers the quality I need to bake better. I need not sift it, I need not check whether there are tiny black things in it, it's so white it looked like it was bleached. But of course, it wasn't. ;)

Blueberry Cake Prep

I followed the directions carefully, measuring each ingredient perfectly and I sure did not overdo mixing. My very first blueberry cake was great! It was moist with just the right sweetness. I hope I can share a slice just so you can see for yourself. ;)

Yes, I started baking and you know what the worst thing is? I forgot to take a picture of the cake itself. LOL! I already covered it with fondant and you can check it our in my next post. ;)

DISCLAIMER I was not compensated in anyway to do a review of the products or services mentioned this post.  Everything was based on my 100% honest opinion.