Desserts 101

I am trying (practicing/studying should be the term here)to be a good cook. Perhaps a preparation to cook for my husband to be. :)

The following desserts have been made a year ago while I was in Cavite with Dave's family. Pa-impress?. Not really. Just wanted to prepare something for them. It made me smile when I finish one dish. Feeling pro hehe. 

* Leche Flan

• 1 can (390g) evaporated milk
• 1 can (390g) condensed milk
• 10 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or lemon essence

For the caramel:

• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water

Cooking Instructions:

• In a saucepan, mix the sugar & water. Bring to a boil for a few minutes until the sugar caramelize.
• Pour the caramelized sugar into aluminum moulds - you can use any shape: oval, round or square. Spread the caramel on the bottom of the moulds.
• Mix well the evaporated milk, condensed milk, egg yolks and vanilla by hand or blender.
• Gently pour the mixture on top of the caramel on the aluminum moulds. Fill the moulds to about 1 to  1 1/4 inch thick.
• Cover moulds individually with aluminum foil.
• Steam for about 20 minutes (the traditional way to make Leche Flan is by open-air steaming on either an open cooking fire or stove top) OR
• Bake for about 45 minutes. Before baking the Leche Flan, place the moulds on a larger baking pan half filled with very hot water. Pre-heat oven to about 370 degrees before baking.
• Let cool then refrigerate.
• To serve: run a thin knife around the edges of the mould to loosen the Leche Flan. Place a platter on top of the mould and quickly turn upside down to position the golden brown caramel on top.
  
  

  

  Leche Flan (Dave's favourite)*

   
   'Twas my first time to make leche flan and I was quite successful. They liked it too.
  
  
  * Leche Flan is one of Dave's favourite dessert, if not the most. Whenever there's celebration and leche flan on the table he would take a bite of the dessert first. Talk about 'matakaw' haha.

Lil' Surprise (Chicken Bolognese)

I just found out I didn't know how to spell the word '' bolognese'' I still had to google it (grinning). A little bit of information here from Wikipedia. 

Bolognese sauce (ragù alla bolognese in Italian, also known by its French name sauce bolognaise) is a meat-based sauce for pasta originating in Bologna, Italy. Bolognese sauce is sometimes taken to be a tomato sauce, but many recipes have only a small amount of tomato concentrate.

I made this simple recipe to surprise Dave on our 25th monthsary that is June 15, 2011. I failed to have photos taken because I was in a rush ( we still had to work). So I decided to cook it one more time on June 18th since I still have some pasta and sauce left. I woke up very early, 5.30am to be exact to prepare the ingredients. I took photos using my reliable camera phone.

 It didn't take me too long to prepare since I already have the ready made chicken bolognese sauce. I added flavor to it by sauteing minced garlic and onion,slices of chicken franks and put a spoonful condensed milk, cheese slices and tomato sauce to enhance the taste. 

 Pasta is ready! Cooked Al dente! 

 Poured some Chicken Bolognese sauce. And for cheesynesss' sake, I got the idea of slicing the cheese to 'I heart you' short cut. I think I did a pretty good job here. (giggling)

When Dave arrived to pick me up that morning, I asked him to share breakfast with me.When he saw what I prepared he was touched, and I think he forgot our monthsary haha but still was very appreciative.He really really liked it. Since pasta dishes specially spaghetti is one of his favourites. Well, actually when he sees food he always say that haha. This guy has such a big appetite. Happy 25th monthsary mahal ko! I love you so much!

Ingredients:

* Ready made bolognese sauce

* minced garlic and onions

*sliced cheeses

* 1 tablespoon of condensed milk

* two regular hotdogs/chicken franks

* one tablespoon tomato sauce/catsup

*pasta (cooked as per instructions on packaging)

Enjoy!

 

Agradecido

Today I feel like enumerating down the blessings I have. Things that I am thankful for. I remember what Bo Sanchez wrote in one of his articles, ''instead of complaining, why won't you find the blessings that are right in your eyes''. Sometimes people tend to just look at the bad side of everything, well, it's easier to spot those wrongs/negatives when we are the downside moments of our lives. It doesn't help anyway. So why focus on that? At times we are just burying ourselves on things that really don't help. Pardon me I'm actually talking to myself.

I've got hundreds of things to be thankful for, and I'm going to enumerate few of them today. I want to focus on these blessings that my Father has been bestowing me. I'm sorry Lord sometimes I fail to see these blessings.

Abba Father, I thank you for:

- Your love and grace.

- Keeping me safe and perfectly healthy.

- The gift of life.

- The gift of family. My strength and inspiration.

- For my father and mother who are always there to listen to me. Who love and care for us. For keeping them  healthy.

-For my beautiful sisters and handsome brothers.

-For my fiance', Dave,  who has been my loving prince.

- For showering him Your unfailing love.

- For using him for your greater honor and glory.

- For my work that enables me to learn things that I thought I wouldn't  be doing.

- For a good boss who trusts me.

- For a friendly work environment I am in.

- For the safe place I am staying.

- For my phone that I use everyday to communicate my loved ones.

- For the air that I breathe.

- For the water that quenches my thirst.

- For the food that fills me physically.

- For my community -Couples/Singles for Christ.

- For my church.

- For my friends.

- For my brothers and sisters in Christ.

- For giving me the chance, the strength and the zeal to serve your people.

- For the elders of the community who in one way or the other have become our second parents.

- For the ability to work efficiently.

- For the technology that enables people to connect even we are distant from each other.

- For this blog that I am able to write and express my thoughts and the events that I want to record.

- For your unfailing love to me that enables me to always rise up with joy. To overcome challenges.

- For holding my hand and never left me.

- For calling me your beloved child.     In Jesus' name. Amen.

There are still a lot of things that I am thankful for. If it should be specific. This page cannot handle it.

La vida entera a Cristo, viviendo! (Kay Kristo Buong Buhay Habangbuhay)

P.S. The title means ''thankful'' . It is a Spanish term.