I remember mom often baked Bread pudding for our unsold or returned stale bread. So, after making sure that the bread chosen had no molds, I would trim the sides of the bread (I didn’t want to use them) and cut them into 1/2 inch cubes.

4 cups bread, cut into small cubes
4 cups evaporated milk (I used a 1:1 ratio — that is, 2 cups evaporated milk and 2 cups water; but you can use “pure” evaporated milk so that you can have a leche flan “feel” to the pudding)
1/3 cup sugar for caramelization (for the baking pan)
1-1/3 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten with a fork (at room temperature)
2-1/2 tbsps. margarine, melted (melt in your microwave beforehand; set aside to cool down)
1/4 tsp. vanilla (or more)
3/4 cups raisins
Optional: you can add chopped candied fruit and some nuts also. When you do this, add a little more milk to the mixture (to prevent drying due to the added ingredients).

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Ingredients

1 kilo ulo ng baboy or dila ng baboy, cut up
2 quartered onions
1 laurel leaf
1 tablespoon rock salt
1 tablespoon peppercorn
1/2 kilo shrimp
1/2 kilo squid (with ink sac removed)
1/2 cup achuete
1 cup minced onion
hebe or dried shrimps
1/2 kilo ground beef
3/4 cups cornstarch
2 eggs
1/3 cup patis
bihon
boiled eggs
sliced green onions
chicharon
flaked tinapa

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I tried out this simple eggplant omelet recipe from Kristine Keefer, public relations coordinator for the French Laundry in Yountville, California.

Kristine Keefer, public relations coordinator for the French Laundry in Yountville, left her native Philippines after college to attend the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. This omelet can be enjoyed with the accompanying recipes for mango salad and garlic fried rice for a complete meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I am pretty sure overseas Filipinos will love these recipes.

Ingredients
2 Japanese eggplant (the narrower the better, as they will cook faster)
Vegetable oil or extra virgin olive oil, as needed
1 medium onion, cut in small dice
10 ounces ground pork
1 large plum tomato, cut in small dice
1 tablespoon fish sauce (Keefer prefers the Thai brand Tiparos)
4 medium eggs
Salt and pepper, to taste

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Chicken Empanada is a favorite snack and party fare that I can serve hot or cold. I always thought making empanada was difficult but after baking Apple Pie, Empanada is a breeze. Here is an easy empanada recipe that uses baking. The ingredients and procedure includes two parts, the Filling and the pastry shell.

Ingredients

1. Filling

1 medium szied cooked chicken (flaked, cut to small pieces)
1 smal can green peas
4 medium sized potatoes, cubed
1 small can mushrooms, sliced
1/3 carrots, cubed
1 can cream of mushrooms or Chicken soup
1 tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste
2 large onions thinly sliced and chopped

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Mechado is a usual stew served in our dinner table. Traditionally, it is cooked with beef briskets, potatoes, pimiento (red bell peppers), and tomatoes. It is similar to a beef stew, with elements of Filipino ingredients such as patis. I don’t use patis so that’s out of the question. Here is the recipe:

1 kilo beef (strip of fat inserted)
1 heaping teaspoon peppercorn
3 cups water
1/3 cup vinegar
1 bay leaf or laurel leaf
1 big onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic crushed
1 red pepper, in strips
1/4 cup green peas
1 tomatoe, cubed
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 slices bread, cut to crouton sizes or cubed
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cooking oil

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3 cups of Hearts of Palm, julienne
1 head of cabbage, julienne
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
mayonnaise to moisten (I use salad dressing because it’s less fatty with the same taste)
salt and pepper to taste
raisins (optional)

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This is an easy recipe and a special favorite. It reminds me of kaldereta somehow without the pickle relish. My sister, Lorna captured this recipe from one of those Philippine TV cooking shows in the late 1970’s.

1 kilo pork (pigue or lomo), cut into serving pieces
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 bell peppers, red and green, sliced
2 medium potatoes, quartered
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 cup pickle relish
1 can liver spread
1 can tomato sauce

1. Mix all the ingredients, according to the sequence indicated above, in a heavy saucepan or Dutch Oven — except for the tomato sauce.

2. Simmer and cook over moderate heat until the pork is done.

3. Add the tomato sauce. Simmer for a few more minutes.

4. Best served hot!