The (Mis)Adventures of Superboink

It sure beats the stress out of me when I have a bowl of steaming noodle soup to comfort me. The soup soothes and is perfect for cold, rainy days like today.  My sister loves this so much. Ahh, I'm missing her already even if it's still months before her wedding. =)

It seems like I'm running out of better ideas on how to cook chicken so one day, I opened a cookbook for help. I chanced upon this recipe - African Chicken Stew - which is believed to be from West Africa.  The good thing about this dish is that no matter how it sounds exotic, it is actually very easy to make - with ingredients easily found and can even be modified to whatever's readily on-hand. Another thing I liked about it is that it is already a one-pot meal with vegetables. W liked it!  :: :: ::

On days when I need hot food quick and fast, my sure bet is making a stir-fry. I include fresh vegetables (not the frozen ones) to make the meal nutritious as well.  Since the kids are back to school, we moms (dads and guardians as well) are also back to our crazy schedules. Sometimes, preparing food for our family seems to be a chore that we just resort to take-aways and food deliveries. I am no Rachael Ray but surely, I can tell you that stir-fry meals may be your best friend. =)

My dearest readers, I've been so tired from cleaning up that my body is sore. I had to spend the whole day yesterday taking quick naps in between my usual house chores. Anyway, I still have a lot of recipe post backlogs so  here goes... Lemon Chicken Ingredients: 1 1/2kg chicken breast fillet, cut into nugget-size chunks 4tsp light soy sauce 2tsp salt 1/2tsp ground white pepper 2pcs eggs, slightly beaten 1cup cornstarch, for dredging oil for deep frying For the Lemon Sauce: 2T lemon juice 1T sugar 2tsp salt 2tsp sesame oil 2tsp cornstarch, dissolved in... 1T chicken stock 1 1/4cups chicken stock How to do it: Season chicken with light soy sauce, salt and pepper. Marinate for at least six (6) hours inside the chiller/refrigerator. Remove the chicken from the chiller then add the eggs. Dredge in cornstarch and pat each piece well until covered. Fry the chicken over medium heat until cooked. Set aside. To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients (for the sauce) in a saucepan....

Rainy days are here. Here's one good way of warming ourselves up - a warm, hearty soup! :: :: :: Chicken Macaroni Soup/Chicken Sopas Ingredients: 1/2kg chicken pieces 200g pack elbow macaroni (salad macaroni or any small-sized pasta), cooked according to package directions 4pcs garlic cloves, minced 2 medium sized onions, minced 2 medium sized carrots, sliced into strips 1 and 1/2 cans evaporated milk (big can, adjust according to your preference) 1 medium cabbage, julienned oil salt and ground black pepper (whole peppercorns may also be used) fish sauce, to season How to do it: *I usually cook the macaroni first on a separate pot, but you may also cook it together with the ingredients if you wish. In another pot, saute the onions and garlic. Add the chicken pieces then cooked until slightly browned. Season with salt and pepper. Add the carrots then pour some water enough to cover the meat and vegetables. Simmer for about 10minutes (or until cooked) then pou...

I saw bundles of long screwpine leaves in the supermarket and so without thinking twice, I dropped two bundles in the cart. I first thought of using some in my steamed rice but remembering the chicken fillets I still have in the freezer, I've decided to just make some Chicken Pandan. :: :: :: Pandan Chicken Ingredients: 1/2kg chicken parts (I used breast fillet) about 10pcs pandan leaves 2tsp soy sauce 2tbsp fish sauce 2tbsp oyster sauce 1/2tsp sugar 1/2tsp ground black pepper 2tsp garlic powder (or you may use minced garlic cloves) 2tsp turmeric powder (or minced ginger) 1tbsp vinegar oil for deep frying How I did it: I mixed the soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, ground black pepper, garlic powder, turmeric powder and vinegar in a bowl. I marinated the chicken breast fillet overnight (though marinating for at least three hours will already render a tasty chicken meat). I then cleaned the pandan leaves, wiped it dry. I covered the chicken meat with t...

(This is the last one in the Pica-Pica series.) I really wanted to grill some barbeque! But as you know, I've been improvising because we still don't have that Holy Grail - err...holy grille! From my Chicken Barbeque post , I thought of making a skewered version just to make it "closer" to the Pinoy barbeque experience. The sauce is a spin-off from the original satay sauce. It is very much peanut-buttery so if you don't want that you may have to reduce the proportions. This is a very simple recipe yet very tasty. I think it will taste better if I grill it but sheesh, I'd have to make do with this for now. :: :: :: Chicken with Coco-Peanut Sauce Ingredients: 1/4kg chicken thigh fillet, cut into finger strips 2T soy sauce 2T sweet chili sauce (I used Lee Kum Kee) 4T crunchy peanut butter 4T coconut milk 2T brown sugar 2T sweet chili sauce (for the coco-peanut sauce) chopped herbs (basil or parsley or coriander leaves) chopped peanuts bamb...

M and I were craving for some grilled goodies. Unfortunately, purchasing an electric (or even charcoal) grill wasn't in our priority list since we moved to our own home. I knew I had to make something close to a home-grilled experience without using up too much electricity (via the oven). My solution was to mimic the taste of a barbequed chicken only that it will be fried. The Korean BBQd Chicken I made before is far different from this one but surprisingly, M told me, "Parang Jollibee Chicken BBQ lang!" (This tastes like Jollibee's Chicken BBQ.) haha! I enjoyed eating my portion knowing M and our son W enjoyed the meal more. =) :: :: :: Fried Chicken BBQ  Ingredients: 1/2kg chicken wings, cut into two disposing the wing tip (but you can use any part) 4 tablespoons water 3 tablespoons ketchup 3 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons vinegar 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder How I did it: I washed and dried th...

I told ya, LOTS of CHICKEN PIECES in the fridge... What else could be the most classic way to prepare chicken (other than fried chicken) inside a Filipino home? TINOLA!  Each time I make Tinola, I make sure I never use the chicken neck as high school Noli Me Tangere analysis left me stinged. LOL. I can clearly recall how Kapitan Tiago asked for Tinola to be served specifically for Crisostomo Ibarra during his homecoming dinner. That while the rest were enjoying their bowl of Tinola, Padre Damaso was furious because he only got skinless chicken neck and tough wings.  ...And I never wanted anyone feel infuriated or hurt because of that meatless part of the chicken. So no chicken necks in my grocery list ever! LOL. :: :: :: Chicken Tinola Ingredients: cooking oil 1tbsp minced garlic 1/4cup sliced (or chopped) onions 2tbsp sliced ginger 1/2kg of chicken, cut into serving pieces about 4cups of water (or more) 2cups of green (unripe) papaya, cut into wedges 1cup of sili leaves, ...

I've got loads of chicken pieces inside the fridge. Why? Because I am trying to cut costs in our family budget. I am also resolved to serve healthier meals so turning to white meat seems to be a good decision. I am sure however, the process will take some time as M is a certified red meat lover. I love turning to my favorite local food magazine Yummy for recipes that are very easy to understand and make. It is probably pure coincidence when I dropped the magazines (...I got from the attic while going down the spiral staircase...) and the topmost mag that turned open showed the Korean Chicken Barbeque - and I've been craving for spicy dishes recently. :: :: :: Korean Chicken Barbeque (Adapted from a recipe from Yummy Magazine which c an also be found in their website ) Ingredients: 1/2 kilo chicken breast fillet, sliced into thin strips 1/4 cup oyster sauce 2 tablespoons sesame oil 1/8 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup chili-garlic sauce (I used Lee Kum Kee) salt and ground ...

This is one of the quickest and easiest recipes I make whenever I am in a hurry or just do not feel like doing something grand in the kitchen. There's just way too many chicken pieces (of different cuts and sizes) inside the fridge and I've just got to find more creative ways to cook them. For now, this chicken afritada will do. =) :: :: :: Chicken Afritada Ingredients: 1/2 kg chicken, cut into serving pieces 2-3pcs potatoes 2pcs carrots 1pc each of red and green bell peppers 2 cups tomato sauce 3T soy sauce (you may adjust according to your taste) 1cup water 1 onion 5cloves garlic 2pcs bay leaves salt and pepper to taste 1 pk of seasoning granules or 1 chicken broth cube 1can green peas (optional) How I did it: I sauteed the onions and garlic in a saucepan. I added the chicken pieces and let it brown on all sides and cooked through. The potatoes, carrots, bell peppers and bay leaves are then added. I poured in the tomato sauce and soy sauce and let it simmer for a few minu...

I am trying to give our fried chicken a face-lift --- doing away with the supermarkets’ instant breading mixes which contains mostly flour and salt. Herbs and spices are the most effective way – whether fresh or dried – to give food flavour while keeping it healthy. Spices are “concentrated sources of natural antioxidants” as McCormick says (My favourite brand of readily available dried herbs and spices). I made a dry rub for the chicken pieces I bought from the grocery using McCormick spices – Italian seasoning (which has dried marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano and basil), Salt and Ground Black Pepper and Cayenne Pepper Powder for some zing. :: :: :: Herbed Chicken Ingredients: Chicken pieces, cleaned and patted dry McCormick Italian Seasoning Salt and Ground Black Pepper Cayenne Pepper Powder (not too much if you don’t like your chicken spicy) Oil for Frying How I Did It: I thoroughly cleaned the chicken pieces and patted dry with paper towels. On a plate/bowl,...