Spicy Rigatoni Pie

A friend of mine shared a recipe  of this  rigatoni pie on her Facebook wall so I thought of trying to make it.  My kids love rigatoni  and so does my husband so it was a perfect recipe to try.  I didn't have all the ingredients I need  so I just made it with the  available  stuff I have in the  kitchen.  

Here's what you need.  

• 1 box of rigatoni
• 1 lbs spicy italian sausage
• 1 quart home made romato sauce (store bought is ok too)
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp  parsley flakes
• 1/2 cup  red wine
• 1 medium size shallots
• salt and pepper to taste

 Preparation:

• Cook the past according to the direction on the box.  Drain the pasta and toss a/2 cup of grated cheese and arrange it in a cake pan as shown above then set aside.  

•  Mixed one  beaten egg with the  ricotta cheese and parsley flakes.  Then put the  cheese mixture on top of the  pasta.

•  In a medium pan,  brown the italian sausage.  Add the  chopped shallots, wine, and the tomato sauce.  Add salt and pepper tp taste.

•  When the meat sauce is done (the longer the sauce  coook, the better), pour it on top.  

•  Add the remaining  shredded cheese on top and bake it for 25 minutes.

 Slice like a pie and serve hot.  Bonapetit!

Tortilla Dipper Tacos #GlutenFree

These are the gluten-free goodies  that Glutino sent us this month.  The box includes a brownie mi-x, Parmesan and garlic bagel,  frosted strawberry  pastry,  vanilla creme cookies,  pretzels, animal crackers, and tortilla dippers.

We had tacos the other night so instead of using a regular taco shell, I used  the tortilla dippers instead.  It was a fun twist.  What I love  about these tortilla dippers is  that it isn't oily and they are very crispy.  

Below are just some of the gluten fee goodness that we  have enjoyed for the past weeks.  I baked  the  twinkle sprinkle cupcakes on my son's birthday and  we took some of it during our road trip to Kalahari.  It served as our    road snacks.  You can  peek at the recipe though the link attached to the photo below.

Twinkle Sprinkle Cupcakes

These brownies  are one of my favorites.  I baked it with pecans and topped it with coconut shavings.  It was chewy, nutty, and really delicious!  The link will lead you to the recipe.

Double Chocolate Brownies 

These chocolate Chip banana cookies are also  one of my favorites.  The banana gives it an aroma that you can't resist.  For the recipe, just click the link in the photo below.

Chocolate Chip Banana Cookies 

I am thinking of making another batch of these matcha blueberry pandan  cookies for the upcoming St. Patrick Day.  These would be a great snack for the kids.  We are trying to  eat as much as  gluten-free as  we can although our diet does not require it.  You will never know that these goodies are gluten  free because they are as good as the regular cookies or brownies if not better.  If you or someone you know  needs gluten free products, Glutino has tons of them to choose from.

Matcha Blueberry and Pandan Cookies 

Disclosure: The owner of this blog was NOT financially compensated to write this review.  I was provided with the product/s mentioned  to help me  facilitate this review but  opinions are my own.

Chicken Milanese #Recipe and a Meat Tenderizer Mallet

Lemon and garlic comes great together in this  crispy chicken Milanese recipe.  I am not fond of garlic but it  is needed on this specific menu.  The oven roasted potatoes  and the bright arugula salad  with creamy lemon chive dressing  makes this  for a light but hearty dinner.  You can find the recipe below.

Ingredients:

• 24 oz chicken breast
• 24 oz potatoes
• 6 tbsp sour cream
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 lemon
• 1/2 oz chives
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 4 oz arugula
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Preparation:

• Prep and roast the potatoes:  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Cut the potatoes into  1/2-inch wedges.  Toss the potatoes on a baking sheet with a drizzles of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes, tossing  halfway though cooking until golden brown.
• Mince the chives. and zest and halve the lemons.
• Place the panko in  a shallow dish with a pinch of salt and pepper.  In a medium bowl, combine the lemon zest, garlic powder, sour cream, and a pinch of  salt and pepper.
• Prep the chicken: Place the the chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound  with a meat tenderizer mallet  until 1/2 inch thick.  Season with salt and pepper, then toss each breast with the sour cream mixture to coat.  Press the chicken into the panko mixture to adhere on both sides.  
• Cook the Chicken:   Heat a drizzle of oil  in a large pan over medium-high heat.  Working in batches, if necessary, add the chicken to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through.
• Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tbsp sour cream,  1 tbsp chives, a squeeze of lemon and a large drizzle of olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  

I love this meat tenderizer mallet that I got  from Cavetools.  I used this right away when I  made the dish above as the chicken need tenderizing.  This mallet is a perfect tool to have in the kitchen .  It is great a  pounder for chicken, steak, beef, and other tough cuts of meat. Now that I have this, I will have to try making weiner schnitzel and cordon bleu.  Its STAINLESS STEEL DESIGN IS DISHWASHER SAFE saving you tons of time cleaning up and also safely sterilizing any raw meat left behind.  This would also be great to use to crush nuts, garlic, ice and hard candy with ease.  You can get this  through the link above or though this amazon link.  You can use  this code KRYLK4CT for an additional 155 off.

Toss the arugula  with just enough dressing to coat and serve alongside the chicken Milanese and crispy potatoes.  Sprinkle with the remaining chives and enjoy!

I also used the mallets to pound the chicken I used when I made the  cordon bleu.  I will be posting the recipe for that soon.

Disclosure: The owner of this blog was NOT financially compensated to write this review.  I was provided with the product/s mentioned  to help me  facilitate this review but  opinions are my own.

Beverage and Coffee Glasses #ProductReview

I brew the That tea kit that I got from  an online comp\any the other day and I was surprised that my  kids loved it.  They are very fond of their Dad's  Iced tea so I thought  of trying   a different   one this time.  I even enticed them  by using the glasses that we have on display on our china cabinet.  

 My son exclaimed "Yes, we are having  a tea party!"  They definitely enjoy having iced tea at home.  My husband used to make an iced tea everyday but I old him to control it since too much sugar isn't good and it was making the kids teeth yellowish.

I will be  making another pitcher of tea this week but I am going to use the set of 4 of the Ozeri Serafino double wall insulated beverage and coffee glasses that I received for review.  I love that they are  heat and shatter resistant because with kids,  it is always nice to use things in the kitchen that are safe.   Each glass features a wraparound contour that provides a natural aesthetic grip.  The optical effect of the double wall is always entertaining for my kids.  

You can get this via  Amazon for $32.95.  This set would also make a great gift set for friends and family.  If my Mom  loves near me, I would definitely give her some of these, I know she would love  to use it in her kitchen.  The last two images above and below are stock photos from amazon.

Disclosure: The owner of this blog was NOT financially compensated to write this review.  I was provided with the product/s mentioned  to help me  facilitate this review but  opinions are my own.

Ice Cream Cake for the BIrthday Boy

Aside from the Twinkle Sprinkcle Cupcakes that I baked, we also got EJ an ice cream cake for his birthday.  I don't know why he loves  it but that's what he wanted too last year on his birthday.  

I guess that explains his sweet tooth lol.  He is like his Dad who also love sweets.  My daughter and I doesn't really care much for sweets although we eat it once in a while.

It's funny that when you asked him  how old he is now, he would say "I'm 16!"  Lol.  Why is it that when your a child, you want to grow up so badly but when you are  a grown up already, you feel like being a kid is the best thing.  

My husband had a good exercise trying to cut this.  He forgot to take it out from the freezer so it was solid rock when he took it out and tried to cut it.

I told him to run hot water  on the  knife so it would cut easy and he did, it worked!

Here's us singing a birthday song for him the best we could lol.

Happy birthday again Anak.  May God bless you with good health always!

December Yummies

These are some of the   yummy foods we had in December that I never got to post right away.  But here they are. The first one is a Filipino dessert/snack called ginataan.  Some Filipino call it benignit, some call it bilo bilo but in my place it is Ginatan.  It has rice balls from glutinous flour, tapioca, sweet potatoes, and taro.  I sometimes put jack fruit in it but I did not have  any  when I made this.  This is cooked in coconut milk and sweetened with condensed milk or you can use sugar.

 I made  some  egg rolls or lumpia  for Christmas.  Instead of  stressing myself to think what to get for close  friends and relatives, I made lumpia and gave it to them.  I also brought some  cooked ones  during the family get together.

 Lumpia is a great appetizer for any party.  I make my lumpia with  veggies and ground beef.  This time, I mixed ground pork, turkey, and beef!

 My kids and husband love them.  I only make them once in a while because it takes time to  make it.

 This was one of the dishes I cooked from Try the World box that I received last month.  IT was a Thailand box and I got to enjoy Thai cuisine.  This dish is a curry chicken  with the jasberry rice.

 On new year's eve, I sliced some veggies and fruits for  us to snack on while waiting for the ball to drop.

The kids stayed with me till midnight but hubby went to bed early because had a headache.  

Cool Places to Visit When Visiting California

Visiting California is not all about Hollywood and the Disney theme parks. There is actually a whole lot more to do in California when traveling into this populous state.

Palm Springs

Do you want to see how the rich truly live, then Palm Springs is the location for the wealthy who wish to enjoy their summers and winters enjoying a leisurely afternoon on one of the golf courses or attending a Stagecoach music festival.  The weather is a comfortable 60°F during the winter months and remains comfortable during the hotter summer months too. For gambling, there are a number of casinos that can cater to high rollers or those who just like a little gamble.

Napa Valley

Napa Valley is famous in California for its numerous vineyards that turn out some of the best wine in the region. Beyond wine tastings, the scenery is excellent when driving around and there are many luxury spas to unwind in a different way when not trying out the latest vintage.  For people who like guided events, there are combination guided bike wine tours and hot air balloon rides which are best taken as a couple or in small groups.

Catalina Island

Catalina Island sits 22 miles across the Pacific from Los Angeles. Most of the visitors to the island travel either to Avalon or Two Harbors, but Avalon has the most visitors who wish to stay overnight. The island is popular with vacationers and couples on their honeymoon.  Accessing the island is possible by boat, ferry, small plane or helicopter. Getting around the island once there can be done via taxi, a golf cart or bicycle.

Santa Barbara

For a city right on the coast, it is difficult to beat Santa Barbara which has been nicknamed “The American Riviera.” The architecture is a Mission-style which is common across the city and due to standing ordinance, adobe walls and red-tiles on the roof are still the order of the day.  One of the main attractions of Santa Barbara is the many beaches, Mission Sanata Barbara, and the Strearns Wharf pier in the main harbor which has retained its old-fashioned charm.

Palo Alto

Palo Alto is a city that has grown up around the Stanford University and the numerous technology startups that cluster around the city. There are several distinct neighborhoods, each with their own unique charm and they're all safe to walk around.Whilst staying in Palo Alto, visit the Nest, a corporate hotel in Palo Alto that provides a comfortable experience with all the creature comforts, fast internet access and efficient service.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

California is fortunate enough to have two national parks almost right next to each other. Both national parks have enormous Sequoia trees standing as high as 300 feet with trunks that can stretch 100 feet across. Sequoia National Park is also home to Mount Whitney which is the highest point in the US. By contrast, Kings Canyon has the deepest canyon in the US.

The parks are also a wildlife lovers' dream with bears, bobcats, mule deer, mountain lions, and bighorn sheep that can be seen if you're lucky on a trip there.  California has so many great places to visit that it is impossible to mention them all. These are just a few examples of some of the most stunning places to visit on a first trip to the state.

Twinkle Sprinkle Cupcakes #HappyBirthday EJ!

It's my son EJ's 9th birthday today so I baked some gluten free Twinkle Sprinkle Cupcakes with Pistachio Cream.  I am not a baker so I rely on  box mixes when I have to bake .  Luckily,  Glutino  has a complete pantry of  baking goodness.  You can find the recipe below.

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Glutino Twinkle Sprinkle Cake
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup milk
• a packet of red and green sprinkle
• 1 tbsp  pistachio cream (optional)

I used my silicon cupcake molds but I only  have 8 of them so I have to bake twice. I have to get me another set of these.

#GlutenFree twinkle sprinkle cupcakes with pistachio cream. Can't wait to dig in! Thanks @glutinofoods and @trytheworld

A photo posted by rose (@chubskulitrose) on Jan 15, 2016 at 8:26am PST

Procedure:

• Preheat oven to 350 F
• IN a large bow or mixer beat butter until fluffy.
• Add eggs, vanilla, and milk  and continue to blend.
• Add dry mix, continue mixing.
• Add 1/2 of the green and red flakes to batter and continue to mix
• Using a pre-greased  cupcake or muffin pan, scoop batter into pan.
• Sprinkle 1/4 on the top of  scooped  cupcakes that are ready to be baked
• Baked for 26 minutes.

You can put frosting or icing when the cupcakes are cooled down.  I prefer  cupcakes with no icing, it's too much sugar for the kids!

My son would be happy when he comes home, he would have something to snack.  We also got him an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen because he  requested for it.  Whatever will be left for these cupcakes, we will take it tomorrow on our road trip.  We are taking them to Kalahari for his birthday.

How To Host a Gelato Tasting Party

Summer will be here before you know it, and it's never too soon to start planning your next soiree. Throwing a gelato party is always a great idea, whether you're a gelato shop with Gelato Products looking to drum up business, or just want to host a fun get together. Here are some tips for a great party:

Set up a buffet table and stock it with tasting spoons, little tasting cups, matching napkins, and several flavors of gelato. Even better, you can serve up a variety of frozen treats including ice cream, sorbet, frozen yogurt, and sherbet.

Next, arrange an area where guests can make cones and sundaes from their favorite flavors. Use attractive parfait and sundae glasses to add a special touch. Other items to include: sugar cones, waffle bowls, bananas for banana splits, sprinkles, crushed nuts, syrups, crushed cookies, and other toppings.

Make sure you have plenty of beverages on hand for your guests. Fill a cooler or a kiddie pool with ice and bottled water, ice coffee, sparkling water, and other cool drinks.

If your party has a lot of little guests, ice cream themed games might be in order. Have a game of pin the cherry on the sundae, or ice cream bingo where you call out different treat and flavor combos (chocolate frozen yogurt, mango ice cream, cherry gelato, etc). The kids will love it, and the parents will appreciate the break.

To add some fun to the party, have everyone write their name on a slip of paper and put it in a bowl. Toward the end of the party, draw a few names and give out inexpensive door prizes. These can include ice cream magnets, ice cream scoops, Mason jars full of toppings, or gift certificates to the local ice cream shop. You can also keep a score chart for everyone to vote for their favorite flavors.

Fun fact: Did you know that National Ice Cream Day is the third Sunday in July? July is also national ice cream month. What better way to celebrate the summer?

Happy Helpers: Bean Pickers

Gardening is one hobby that  my kids and I love to do during the summer time.  I can't be out there in the garden without them wanting to help so I always let them.   I planted two kinds of beans in the garden and one  kind was not good in cooking with the skin on so I just waited for it to mature till the seeds are ready then we picked them all.

 I am glad that I have two  happy pickers that were willing to help me with this.

 Opening the  bean pods is an enjoyable  thing for them to do.

 We did  this while we were watching our favorite cooing show on TV.

 This little things that they can do  teaches them to be responsible and they also learn about plants that we eat.  It's sad to know that some kids don't even know what beans look like.  I packed my son some stamed  green beans one day and one of his classmates  asked what he was eating.  He told him that it was green beans.  He said it was weird because the kid loves green beans, the only difference is, he only knew the cut green beans from the can where it's no longer  green but a bit darker.  My kids don't like  canned  green beans because they are mushy.  They love  beans when it's a bit crisp.

 It is important for kids to learn where their food comes from or how  it grows.

 Every time they help me  do stuff around the house, we always  give them incentives.  IT motivates them to help every time.

 These two is very competitive so  when one offer to help, the other one will help as well.

 I cooked some of it in a coconut milk and chicken.

 The rest of the beans, I  blanched them and put them in the freezer.

I have been using the frozen one in dishes like bean soup and other  dishes.  Having a garden is such a great thing.  You get to enjoy  fresh  veggies that you love.  It's rewarding   to  harvest what you sow.