MY KITCHEN, MY RECIPE!

 by: MisS VictoriA DaviD

Ten years ago I only weighed 40 klgs. with a waistline of 2_ inches. Wish I still was but I will leave it to all of you about the measurement of my waistline. 

I could still vividly remember that I used to buy my clothes, most of the times, at the children's department; which were a lot cheaper. I was that tiny and slender before and knew the meaning of hardship when I was living in the capital city of the Philippines. Literally speaking, it would take me about 3 hours to reach my destination when I used to commute from my sister's house to work and vice versa. I have to say that my physique and most especially my booty benefited from all of the hardship. I commuted for 6 days in a week during which I had different time schedules and used 3 types of self-powered motor vehicles. Imaginatively, I was the walking superwoman version of my favourite fictional character superwoman (Lol!). After all, it was the joyride of my life! 

Those memories are now well kept in the left hemisphere of my brain which I frolickingly treasure: from time to time and will until my last day on Earth. Psychologically, it isn't very good to live in from past recollections and then, as we may just completely abandon how lovely it is to be in the now. After all, who we are today is the by-product of our colourful past?

Inevitably, I missed my waistline more than my weight and its because it was very very small. My love for cooking and eating, in general, supplemented my weight with another 10 klgs. and buttressed my waistline to a grown-up woman. Yes, I do miss my waistline (what a picayune!) but the additional klgs. means, given my height that I belong to 'Healthy/Normal Weight' category as per the Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator. I am happy to say!

You are what you eat... 

Having my own kitchen with a great selections of ingredients within a hand's reach and then, cooking without restrictions has led me to love the art of preparing food. Which is why, from altering the ingredients, to cooking the dishes in my own ways has become very enjoyable. Undeniably and of course, the eating with their distinctive and delicious flavours. 

Without further ado, here are my versions of Filipino (mainly) dishes as an efficient cook...

(Superfood Shake)

 

(Cassava Cake: Before and After)

   (Coconut Milk Marinated and Oven-Grilled Pork: After and Before)

 (Classic Cascading Beef Lasagne)

  (Coconut Milk Marinated and Oven-Baked Pork: Before and After)

(Pork Adobo and Bicol Express)

(Seafood Paella)

(Pinakbet and Savoury Scones)

  (Chopsuey and Pizza)

(Sweet, Savoury and Meat Muffins)

      

(Meat Siopao)

(Beef Adobo and Garlic Oven-Grilled Chicken Parts) 

  (Garlic Oven-Grilled Pork and Chicken Sopas)

 (Chicken/ Vegetables Steamed and Oven-Baked Muffins)

(Rellenong Oven-Baked Baguette) 

(Pineapple Topped Coconut Macaroons)

QUEEN VICTORIA'S BAKED/GRILLED CHICKEN BREASTS

by: MisS VictoriA DaviD

 

I like eating flavoured meat!

Cooking food at home is my magic wand. This is one of the reasons why I don't buy processed food or indulge myself to instant products when shopping. However, it doesn't mean I dislike them!

I have eaten grilled chicken breasts that was bought and made in the supermarket, in particular, garlic grilled chicken breasts. The taste was really scrumptious!

I bought a bag of frozen chicken breasts last time and challenged myself to cook my own baked/grilled garlic chicken breasts recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 pcs. of chicken breasts
• 3 cloves of garlic, crashed/sliced
• crashed ginger (optional) 
• 2 tbsps. of Extra Virgin oil 
• 1 tbsp. of sunflower oil
• 2 tsps. of honey
• a pinch of mixed herbs
• a pinch of salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and vegetable stock granules to taste
• 2 strands of spring onion, angled slices
• 4 cherry tomatoes, slice into 2

Sauce Preparation:

1. Mix the extra virgin oil, sunflower oil and honey in a bowl. Stir well.
2. Add the crashed ginger. Stir well again.
3. Once all mixed, just set it aside.

 

  (Baked Chicken Breasts and Grilled Chicken Breasts) 

Cooking Procedure:

1. Wash and rinse the chicken breasts (Thaw, if needed).
2. Prepare the chopping board and place the breasts on it. Use a sharp knife to scar on top and turn-over to do the same. Just set it aside.
3. Prepare your crashed/sliced garlic, then insert most of the slices in the created scars of the meat. Dont throw away the excess garlic just scatter and arrange evenly in the bottom of the pyrex glass covered with foil.
4. Rub the breasts with mixed herbs, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and vegetable stock granules for additional flavours.
5. Prepare your cooking dish (Pyrex-glass cooking dish is good) and lay the prepared breasts in the centre to create a well balanced art. Just set it aside.
6. Gradually, pour the sauce mixture you made (Sauce preparation) and make sure it is distributed evenly over the breasts.
7. Design it with angled slices of spring onions and slices of cherry tomatoes on top (Be Imaginative!). Then, cover the pyrex either with its excess foil or its lid.
8. Place it in a safe area and marinate it for 1 hour before placing it in the oven.
9. Preheat the oven to 150ºC under bake mode (electric). 
10. Place the cooking dish (with the marinated breasts) in the preheated oven, then bake it for 30 minutes. In 15 minutes time, glaze the breasts with its own sauce and be careful not to burn yourself.
11. After that, unfold the foil or removed the lid and then, change the Bake to Grill as well as adjust the temperature down to 120ºC. 
12. Place and grill it for 30 minutes. Check it every 10 minutes and glaze the breasts using its own sauce.

This is the perfect garlic chicken breasts to be served and eaten on the table with your loving family.