Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Red Velvet Cheesecake

(From Rose and Vince Camacho's kitchen)


1 1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tablespoon sugar
3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whole buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
2 (1 oz.) bottles red food coloring

1 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Press into bottom of 9-inch spring form pan. Beat 3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups sugar at medium-low speed with an electric mixer, 1 minute. Add eggs and next 6 ingredients, mixing on low speed just until fully combined. Pour batter into prepared crust. 

Bake 325 degrees for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until center is firm. Run knife along outer edge of cheesecake. Turn off oven. Let cheesecake stand in oven 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven; cool in pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Beat 1 (3 oz.) package cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter at medium speed with an
electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating
until smooth. Spread evenly over top of cheesecake. Remove sides of springform pan. 
Garnish if desired.




Thursday, December 15, 2011

Pastel Cream Wafers

Phenomenal cookies! They take a little time to make, but it's well worth it!
Makes 5 dozen
Ingredients
1 cup butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar for decoration
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Food coloring (optional)
Directions
1. Mix flour, salt, and 1 cup of butter or margarine thoroughly. Stir in whipping cream and mix well. Chill 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
3. Roll dough 1/8 inch thick on lightly floured board. Cut into 1 1/2 inch rounds. Transfer to waxed paper heavily sprinkled with sugar, turning to coat both sides. Place on un-greased baking sheet. Prick in 4 places with fork. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until slightly puffed. Put two cooled cookies together with filling.
4. To Make Filling: Blend 1/4 cup soft butter, 3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar, and 1 tsp. vanilla. If desired, tint with food coloring.





Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Make Salads in Advance -- Pretty, Too!

The most important part of the layering is making sure the dressing and the spinach (or whatever 'leaf' you choose) don't touch. As long as they stay separate, these salads can be made up to 4 days in advance and will stay fresh in the fridge with a lid on. This is one trick to eating salad every day for lunch at work. You can make a few jars on Sunday night and just grab one to bring to work daily. When you're ready to eat, just shake it up.


Friday, December 9, 2011

Easy, Droolisimo Appetizer for Holidays & Beyond

Tasty and easy appetizer -- serve with crackers!


Crab Mousse
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 8-ounce package cream cheese (whipped cream cheese works great, too)
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
8 ounces lump crabmeat
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice
* I add in some cayenne pepper

Directions
Pam or Canola spray a serving dish. Heat the soup then add and dissolve gelatin in a saucepan, heating until hot and bubbly. Stir well to make sure the gelatin is completely dissolved and there are no lumps. Place and mix right in serving dish, adding the cream cheese first so it melts, crabmeat, celery, green onions, lemon juice and cayenne, if so desired. Stir gently but thoroughly.

Smooth the top with a spatula or knife. I sprinkle on more green onions and some cayenne for color! Cover with plastic wrap. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill until firm, about 3 to 6 hours.

When ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap and loosen the edges of the mousse by running a knife around the sides.
Serve with crackers.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Oh, How I Miss Guamanian Food

Needed a place to stash my favorite Guamanian/Chamorro dishes with photos, all found on Facebook at 671 Recipes https://www.facebook.com/groups/allislanders/. Also now online at http://www.671recipes.com. They are all well worth the time it takes to make them! Vegetarians can use tofu or soy substitutes or all veggies! Bon appétit!


LUMPIA
By: Helene K. Guzman
This recipe will yield approximately 50-60 lumpia.

Ingredients:
3 lbs ground beef (lean)/Pork can be substituted for Shangai version
2 carrots (peeled sliced and diced)
3 celery stalks (cut into strips and then diced)
1 medium yellow onion (sliced and diced)
1 can water chestnuts (drained, sliced and diced)
4-6 cloves of garlic (sliced and diced)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
black pepper to taste
I USE MENLO WRAPPER for this recipe use 2 packages (usually 30 pcs per package)
Directions: Saute beef until brown and drain off excess oil
Add onions, garlic, carrots, celery, water chestnuts and saute for at least 10 minutes
Add soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and black pepper cook until your liquid is absorbed usually another 10-15 minutes. Turn off and let cool.
I have found that MENLO is a great wrapper - easy to pull apart - hardly ever any waste and simple to roll.
Separate all your lumpia wrappers and just cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep the air from drying out the wrappers.
Take a wrapper (these are square) and put it like a diamond laid in front of you (this way it is so much easier to fold and control), put in about a tbsp of the filling about two inches from the bottom corner closest to you.
Fold over once and get a secure grip while spreading the filling evenly and roll once then grab your left and right corners and fold over the area you're working with and continue till you have just about an inch remaining.
Dab with some water and complete.
With Menlo you really don't need the cornstarch glue just be generous with the water and secure well. Frying lumpia is always easier to cook when your lumpia is half way in the oil in your pan - if too much oil - sometimes its hard to turn them around when cooking. Cook on medium heat until both sides are evenly golden brown. ENJOY!




VIETNAMESE SPRING ROLLS
Submitted by: Annie Merfalen

These spring rolls are served cold and are not fried. You can use the herbs and vegetables in this recipe, or you can use any fresh herbs/veggies of your choosing. You can also use any cooked meat or fish combo that you prefer. Vegetarians may omit meat altogether.
Ingredients:
• 1 package clear edible rice paper sheets
• 1/2 lb cooked chicken
• 1/2 lb cooked small shrimp (peeled, deveined, halved)
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 bunch fresh mint leaves
• 1 head leafy lettuce, washed and separated into leaves
• 1 cucumber, peeled and cut into very, very thin strips
• 1 cup fresh bean sprouts, optional
• 1 package vermicelli rice noodles, prepared according to package directions
• hoisin sauce, to taste (or optional dipping sauce, see below)
• chopped peanuts
• nuoc nam, Vietnamese spicy fish sauce
Directions:
1. Have all meats precooked and cold and the rice noodles prepared already (the noodles should be white, long and at room temp).
2. Make sure all veggies and herbs are cleaned, dried, and set out before you start.
3. Quickly dip a sheet of rice paper wrapper into hot water, no longer than a second or two (or they will get too soggy) then lay flat on a work surface.
4. On one edge of the softened rice paper, lay a small handful of noodles, a few strips of meat, some shrimp, some cilantro and mint leaves, a lettuce leaf, some cucumber strips and bean sprouts, all to taste but don't over stuff.
5. Carefully start to roll up egg roll style, tucking in the sides, then continue to roll up-but not too tightly or the spring roll will split.
6. These rolls will be thicker than the typical Chinese-style fried egg rolls.
7. Combine a few spoonfuls of hoisin sauce with some chopped peanuts to use as a dipping sauce (or serve with prepared spicy fish sauce dip called Nuoc Mam, available at Asian markets).
8. Serve immediately- these do not keep and will harden up in the fridge, so it is best to make just as many as you plan to serve (store any extra fillings in fridge and roll later).
9. Note: Please be sure to get the correct spring roll rice papers- these are not the same as wonton/egg roll wrappers, which must be cooked. Look for edible rice paper wrappers, rice noodle vermicelli, and hoisin sauce in Asian markets.

Hoisin Peanut Dipping Sauce Recipe:
• 1 cup (8 oz) hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 Tbs rice vinegar
• 2 garlic, crushed
• 1 minced Thai chili, or more for desired spiciness
• Crushed peanuts, optional
Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients together; if sauce is thick, add about 1/4 cup warm water to reach desired consistency).



FRESH LUMPIA
Submitted by: Helene K. Guzman

Ingredients:
2 ounces rice noodles
8 rice wrappers (ask for fresh lumpia wrappers)
8 large cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut in half
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Thai basil
2 tablespoons chopped mint
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 cucumber, chopped

*** Dipping Sauce:
4 teaspoons fish sauce
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons ground fresh peanuts

Procedure:
1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Boil rice noodles 3 to 5 minutes, or until al dente. Drain.
2. Fill a large bowl with warm water. Dip one wrapper into the water for 1 second to soften. Lay wrapper flat. In a row across the center, place 2 shrimp halves, a handful of noodles, basil, mint, cilantro and cucumber, leaving about 2 inches uncovered on each side.
3. Fold uncovered sides inward then roll the wrapper. Do not roll too tightly or it may tear. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
4. In a small bowl, mix the dipping sauce ingredients. Serve.



CRAB KELAGUEN WITH A TWIST
Submitted by Helene K. Guzman
Ingredients:
One package crab sticks
3 or 4 green onions (sliced)
1/2 yellow onion (sliced)
1/2 daigu cut in half and half again and slice so you get nice quaters
1 stalk celery (sliced thin)
Juice of two whole lemons
1 cup shredded coconut and if you're back home fresh is best!
1/2 tsp sesame seed oil
Salt & Done' (chili peppers) to taste

Break up your crab in a nice size bowl - you'll do all your mixing in here so give yourself some room.
Add all your onions, daigu, celery, salt and done' and lemon. Mix well
Add sesame seed oil. Mix well

Make sure you add all your ingredients before the sesame seed oil and before the coconut, I don't know exactly what happens but in any other order and it drastically changes the taste. I think it has to do with how the flavors of kelaguen work and the sesame seed oil is just to add a bit of a twist. Chill for at least an hour so that all the flavor mix thoroughly.




Sliced Crisp Green Mango with Chillies and Salt – Mamuang Yam Prik Gkap Gkleua

Recipe Copyright © 2010 Kasma Loha-unchit.

Ingredients

  • Two green mangos2 cups small, thin bite-size slices of crisp green unripe mango
  • 4-6 Thai chillies, cut into thin rounds
  • 1/2 – 1 tsp. sea salt
  • 2-3 tsp. granulated sugar
  • 2 Tbs. freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1/2 to 1 lime)
The amount of sugar and lime juice to use will depend on how green and sour the mango is. The quantities suggested above is for a firm, crisp green mango that has started to yellow just a little.
Simply toss all the ingredients together well and enjoy!
Serves 3 to 4 as a snack.

Notes and Pointers:

Green mango saladIn Thailand, a hot-salty-sweet dip is made by pounding Thai chillies with sugar and salt until well blended. Various kinds of fruits are dipped in this mixture whether for a snack or following a meal. Among the favorite fruits for this kind of treatment are tart unripe green mango, crisp green guava, acidic pineapple, sour pomelo, jicama, astringent under-ripe gooseberries, and various kinds of crisp pickled unripe fruits.
Because tart unripe mangoes are not easy to find, I like to add lime juice to make up for the lack of tartness in the green mangoes found in Asian markets here; so instead of making the salt-sugar-chilli dip, I just toss the mango slices with these three ingredients and the lime juice.
If you can’t find a firm, crisp green mango, try the combination with a tart, crisp green apple. Of course, the apple will be sweeter than the green mango and you probably won’t need to use any sugar at all.
Try also on crisp under-ripe plums and nectarines.






HEALTH-CONSCIOUS PANCIT
Source: http://www.davita.com/recipes/pasta,-rice-and-grains/pancit/r/5687
Recipe created by DaVita patient, Bonifacia, and submitted by DaVita dietitian Jennifer H. from California.
Portions: 12 Serving size: 2 cup
INGREDIENTS:
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or sesame oil
• 2 cups total cooked chicken, pork or shrimp (one or a combination)
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 4 cups salt-free chicken broth
• one 16-ounce package rice sticks (Asian rice noodles) or egg noodles
• 2 cups carrots, shredded
• 3 celery stalks, cut diagonally
• 1 can sliced water chestnuts
• 4 cups cabbage, shredded
• one 16-ounce package frozen Chinese snow peas (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 egg, hard boiled (for garnish)
• 2 lemons
• 2 green onions, chopped finely (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a wok or large skillet, over medium heat, sauté garlic and onion in oil until soft.
2. Stir in chicken, pork and/or shrimp and soy sauce. Add 3 cups of chicken broth and bring to boil.
3. Add noodles using 2 wooden spoons to stir in noodles. Cook for 15 minutes until noodles are translucent. Be careful that noodles don’t become gummy. May need to add more broth (or water) to prevent this from happening.
4. Add vegetables and cook until cabbage begins to soften.
5. Transfer pancit to a serving dish and garnish with sliced eggs, green onions and one lemon sliced into wedges.
6. Squeeze the juice of one lemon over top of noodles before serving. Serve immediately.
Helpful hints
• Rice noodles, also known as rice sticks, may be purchased at any Asian grocery store.
• Shred the cabbage and carrots in a food processor or buy the pre-shredded slaw mix.
• Use a large wok or very large Dutch oven. (I used a large skillet and ended up transferring the pancit to a Dutch oven since the noodles expand and the sides of a skillet could not keep everything in it as I was mixing it with the two wooden spoons.)

Nutrients per serving
• Calories 255
• Protein 12 g
• Carbohydrates 41 g
• Fat 5 g
• Cholesterol 59 mg
• Sodium 220 mg
• Potassium 373 mg
• Phosphorus 141 mg
• Calcium 49 mg
• Fiber 2.7 g


KADUN UHANG (SHRIMP IN COCONUT MILK)
Submitted by Craigmont Cruz

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds Deveined Shrimp
1 Bg String Beans
Cherry Tomatoes
1 Lrg Onion
1 Garlic
1 Cn Coconut Milk
Salt And Black Pepper 
* I add water chestnuts and tofu

DIRECTIONS:
In a lrg pot sauté onions, garlic, and string beans, sweat them for a few minutes, until onions are clear, add the shrimp, cherry tomatoes water chestnuts, tofu, salt and black pepper, stir for a couple minutes then add 2 cups of water.
When it begins to boil add the can of coconut milk, let it thicken and check taste to see if it needs more salt and pepper. Serve with hot rice and enjoy.



RED RICE

Sprinkle Finadene all over it!

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups rice, rinsed (Calrose, sticky rice recommended. The kind you use for sushi)
2 Tablespoons achote seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons cooking oil
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 cups water

*** Highly recommended optional add-ons:
Bacon - chopped and cooked
Green Peas

DIRECTIONS:
Soak achote seeds in 1/2 cup warm water for 30 minutes. Add salt.
Rub or press achote seeds to get color in the water. Strain liquid into small pot with 1 1/2 cups of water and boil.
Saute onions.
Add rinsed rice, salt and onions to boiling achote colored water, and reduce heat to medium high for 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to low for 15 minutes or until cooked. Stir occasionally to prevent burning at the bottom.
Optional: Add peas and bacon during last 10 minutes of cooking time.



TIP: If your rice is crunchy, add a little bit more water, mix around in the pot, and cover tightly with foil. Place in the oven for about 20 minutes. Add more water if necessary. It will cook evenly without burning.
Or if crunchy, fry down some onions and garlic with a little butter mixing in the achote powder. In a separate bowl wash the rice and then drain. Put the rice into the pot with the onions and garlic and achote, stir it up so everything will get mixed well, and THEN add water and the rest of the seasoning! 


FINADENE

Island Sauce for EVERYTHING

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup lemon juice
2/3 cup soy sauce
1 cup chopped onion
2 stalks of green onion, chopped
10-12 medium hot peppers, chopped or mashed according to your 'heat' preference

DIRECTIONS:
Make this a few hours ahead or the night before. Mix all ingredients together and store in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve! Keeps forever.

SERVE:
Pour it over rice (a standard for ALL Guamanians), lumpia, spring/summer rolls, chicken, barbecue, ribs, fish, vegetables.



SWEET CHILE SAUCE
1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup of water
1/2 cup of sugar
2 fresh hot peppers minced
2 cloves of fresh garlic minced
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tsp water


Procedure:
1. In a saucepan, combine together the water, vinegar and sugar.
2. Mix together until well blended. Bring to a boil until the sugar has been dissolved.
3. Add the hot pepper, garlic and salt, and boil for another 1 minute.
4. Add the cornstarch and boil until everything has blended together.
5. Allow this to cool before use.


SWEET FLOUR TITIYAS (TORTILLAS)
Submitted by: Annie Merfalen

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
¾ cup milk
½ teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
¼ cup vegetable oil

Directions:
Mix dry ingredients. Gradually add milk and oil; blend until smooth. Knead dough for 2 minutes. Divide dough into pieces. Take 1 piece and roll out to a round shape about 8” in diameter. If smaller, thin tortillas are desired, divide into 6 pieces. Using a fork, make prick marks all over the rolled dough to prevent bubbling when cooking.

Cook on a hot skillet over medium high heat for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown spots appear all over. If making thicker titiyas, check to see that the middle is done by pressing slightly with your finger. If it feels firm to the touch, it is done.

Remove from the skillet and place a dry towel over to keep titiyas warm and to prevent it from drying out.


MANHA TITIYAS (COCONUT TORTILLAS)
Submitted by: Judy Fernandez Dillinger

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups coconut juice (I used the liquid from the can of young coconut. You can also buy coconut juice that is sold as a beverage)
1 cup chopped manha (young coconut)

Mix all ingredients together. *Consistency should be like thin pancake batter.

Lightly grease a frying pan or skillet. Pour about 3/4 cup of batter into pan and spread throughout the bottom (covering the entire pan). Let cook for about 3 minutes or until it starts to bubble. You will know when it's time to flip it. Flip to cook other side for another 3 minutes.


TRES LECHES
By: Mona-Lisa A. Leon Guerrero (Miner-Nacha)

THREE MILK CAKE
2.5 cups all-purpose Flour
1 tspn Baking Soda
Pinch of Salt
7 eggs, separated
1 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Milk
1 tspn Vanilla or Almond Extract
1 can Evaporated Milk (i.e Carnation)
1 can Sweeten Condensed Milk (i.e. Bordens)
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream (NOT Cool Whip, real Whipping Cream)
OPTIONAL 1/4 cup Liquor (i.e. Amaretto, Kahlua, Apricot Brandy, etc... your choice)

Preheat oven to 375`F. Grease and flour 9” pan. Sift all your dry ingredients (except sugar) together in a medium bowl. In a large glass or metal bowl, beat at a high speed the egg whites to a froth, gradually add sugar while continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Add egg yolks one at a time and reduce beater to lowest speed, gradually add dry ingredients and 3/4 cup of milk one-third at a time until all incorporated, then add vanilla (or Almond) extract. Pour batter into pan and bake for 35-45 (depending on altitude,) or use clean toothpick test. Let cool for 5 minutes, then remove from pan. Cut cake into two layers, placing your bottom layer on your cake platter. You can opt not to divide cake into layers and leave as one (if you do, poke sporadic holes throughout the cake with a shish kabob stick.)

In a medium bowl, combine evaporated milk, sweetened condensed, heavy cream, and optional liquor. Pour half of the mixture on the one half of the cake on the platter, then place your second layer on top and pour the remainder of the mixture. Set aside and allow to cool. As the cake cools, the sweetened creams starts to caramelize on it’s way thru and down. Refrigerate while you’re making your topping.

TOPPING
2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1 tspn Powdered Sugar
OPTIONAL: Garnish with Fresh Fruit or chopped pecans/walnuts

In a medium bowl, beat heavy cream until it starts to thicken, gradually adding powdered sugar, continue beating until stiff peaks form and mixture starts to double in size.

Cover top and sides of cake and refrigerate a couple hours. Garnish with fresh fruit or nuts before serving.