Vietnamese Pho Party
Posted on | February 28, 2010 | 4 Comments
I got introduced to pho when a Vietnamese restaurant opened a few blocks from my home last October. I found this dish so comforting that lately, it’s been a staple in my diet. My dear friend Lar taught me how to prepare this comfort food at home. And let me tell ya, it’s perfect for a get-together among friends or family.
All you need to do is make the stock ahead of time and prepare the fixins so that your guests can build their own pho. I’ll guide you on what you need so you can give it a try in your own homes.
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| This is Lar’s pho after she built it up with the fixins and the condiments. |
The beef stock, in my opinion, is the heart of this dish. If you’ve never made beef stock before, it is really simple. (Of course if you’re vegetarian, you can substitute vegetable stock for beef stock.)
Basic Beef Stock for Pho
About 5 lb soup bone with marrow
About 8 quarts water
1. Combine soup bone and water in a large stockpot.
2. Bring to a boil. If foam starts to rise, skim it off.
3. Partially cover and simmer for about 2 to 3 hours.
If you want to keep it lean, prepare the day before. Refrigerate overnight and when you’re ready to use, skim any hardened fat from the surface before putting it back on the stove to reheat. (The soup bones I use are so lean, I barely get any fat at all.) You can keep the beef stock in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
Now, when you go to the meat market and ask for soup bones and get ‘dog bones’ instead, don’t wreak havoc. They’re the same thing. Of course, it won’t hurt to verify with the meat market guy … or gal.
A few minutes before the party, you can prep the fixins. I have fixin suggestions to make either a beef pho or a seafood pho … or a combined beef-seafood pho. It’s a really flexible dish!
Pho Fixins and Condiments
1 lb rice stick (Banh Pho Thuong Hang)
Medium to large onion, sliced
For Beef Pho:
About 1/2 lb beef sirloin or New York strip, thinly sliced
(To cut it nice and thin, leave in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes.)
For Seafood Pho:
About 1/2 lb shrimp, cooked
About 1/2 lb squid, cooked
About 1/2 lb crabmeat, cooked
A handful of Thai basil
A handful of cilantro
A handful of spring onions, sliced
About 2 cups bean sprouts
Lime wedges
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 to 4 tablespoons fish sauce
Bottle of oyster sauce, served on the table
Sriracha hot chili sauce, served on the table
1. Keep the beef stock simmering. Add sugar, soy sauce, and fish sauce to taste. Add the onion slices.
2. Soak the rice stick in warm water for 5 to 8 minutes or until softened.
3. Cook the beef in a colander submerged in the stock just until it changes color. Transfer on a serving plate.
4. Arrange the basil, cilantro, spring onions, bean sprouts, and lime wedges on a large platter.
5. Arrange the condiments, platter of fixins, and various meats on the dining table.
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| Lar cooking the beef in the stock with a colander and chopsticks. |
Assembling the Pho
Time for the party! Soak the rice sticks again, for each serving, in boling water for a few seconds. We like to use 2-quarts serving bowls as soup bowls. Transfer the rice sticks in the bowl and pour 2 or 3 ladles of beef stock over it. Let each person assemble his own pho, according to his liking. Then eat with chopsticks, slurping is encouraged!
Lar, and her husband Dave, introduced me to Moscato. My favorite, so far, is the Gallo. Pho and Moscato with great friends – good times!
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| Our bottle of Gallo Moscato and Troy grabbing some basil from our fixin platter. |
Lar also taught me how to make Vietnamese Spring Rolls. I’ll share that next week :)
Peanut Butter and Banana Wrap
Posted on | January 12, 2010 | 4 Comments
Here’s my version of a kicked-up PB&J sandwich. It’s great for an afternoon snack or for lunch, served with fruits or vegetables. It only takes a few minutes to prepare – perfect for busy schedules. Mica and Rinoa love it!
Peanut Butter and Banana Wrap
1. Spread peanut butter on a flour tortilla.
2. Place a banana, sliced in half lengthwise, on top.
3. Drizzle with honey.
4. Fold like a burrito.
5. Toast or pan-grill on the stove.
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Holiday Baking
Posted on | December 16, 2009 | No Comments
It’s been our tradition to bake and giveaway Chocolate Crinkles for Christmas.
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This year, we made some for unsuspecting recepients, like our mailman who tirelessly brings packages to our door and Ms. Melissa from Rinoa’s Friday night Story Time at B&N.
Banana Pudding
Posted on | October 15, 2009 | 1 Comment
I had the chance to try Magnolia Bakery’s famous banana pudding when I was in New York – thanks to my sister-n-law who bought some. It was heavenly! Imagine my delight when I found out that the original owner of the bakery released the recipe so I didn’t have to guess how it was done.
The first time I made the pudding, I reserved some for my neighbor, but my family enjoyed it so much that they even ate the neighbor’s share. Then a few weeks ago, I helped Troy whip up a batch to share with his coworkers.
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| Magnolia Bakery’s Banana Pudding (edited) |
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1-1/2 cups ice cold water
1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
3 cups heavy cream
1 (12-ounce) box Nabisco Nilla Wafers
4 cups sliced ripe bananas
1. Mix the sweetened condensed milk and water in a large bowl until well combined. Add the pudding mix. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before continuing. (It is very important to allow the pudding mixture to set properly.)
2. Whip the heavy cream in an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the pudding mixture into the whipped cream until well blended and no streaks of pudding remain.
3. To assemble the dessert, arrange one-third of the wafers to cover the bottom of a large wide bowl, overlapping if necessary, then one-third of the bananas and one-third of the pudding. Repeat the layering two more times. (Although here, I used a Pyrex casserole dish.) Garnish the top with wafer crumbs. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to chill in the refrigerator overnight before serving. (I think the longer you wait, the yummier it gets.)
Portobello Mushroom Burgers
Posted on | October 8, 2009 | No Comments
While at the Great Wolf Lodge in Wisconsin Dells, I had the pleasure of eating this delectable portobello mushroom sandwich. I loved it so much that I had to recreate it – or at least do something similar at home. Here’s my version:
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The sandwich in this picture included portobello mushrooms (of course), roasted red bell peppers, roasted zucchinis, onions, tomatoes, fresh oregano, provolone cheese, and goat cheese in an onion bun.
I actually have two ways of marinating the mushrooms, and they’re both really simple. I either marinate them with balsamic vinegar or Mama Sita (a Filipino barbecue sauce you can find in the Asian aisle of most grocery stores). I think both the balsamic vinegar and the Mama Sita should be a staple in any pantry – they’re great marinades for beef, pork, and chicken too.
The bell peppers I roasted straight on the stove until the skins were charred black. Then I just peeled off the skin. The zucchinis I roasted in the oven.
I put provolone cheese and fresh oregano because that’s what I had in the fridge. And goat cheese, well I had that in the fridge too plus I love goat cheese on steaks, so why not on beefy portobello mushrooms? :)
Onion buns – because that’s what Troy bought that night. But I would have loved to use ciabatta also – that’s my favorite I think.
Oh! And I reduced some balsamic vinegar and drizzled some on top before closing the sandwich.
There you go. Yum!
Pork Milanese
Posted on | September 30, 2009 | 2 Comments
This is my take on Giada’s Pork Milanese (breaded porkchops with Parmesan cheese).
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I had stale bread which I used to make breadcrumbs. (I just toasted the bread in the oven for a few minutes and pulsed it in my food processor until it resembled coarse breadcrumbs.) I mixed the breadcrumbs with a combination of freshly grated Parmesan and Asiago cheeses. (Love that combination!) Then, after I seasoned the pounded porkchops with salt and pepper, I dipped each one first in flour, then in egg, then in the breadcrumb mixture.
After frying them in a butter/vegetable oil mixture, I sprinkled the chops with lemon zest and fresh thyme and oregano.
Now, my family is multicultural and this dish is perfect in satisfying everybody’s palates. The way I served it, I call the meeting of three cultures. The dish is Italian and I served it two ways – as a sandwich (American-style) for Troy and with rice and roasted vegetables (kinda Filipino-style) for the rest of the family.
Ice Skating and Homemade Pizzas
Posted on | March 11, 2009 | No Comments
Every Wednesday here in our area, homeschooled kids get together to ice skate. And today, Mica joined them for the first time. She was a little bit intimidated because the other kids were just breezing through the rink but, nevertheless, she had fun and can’t wait to go back next week.
Then, inspired by an episode of “Caillou”, we made homemade pizzas for dinner (the second time, actually, in two weeks). Mica and Rinoa had a blast shaping the dough and decorating their own personal pizzas. To make it easier, we used dough that we bought from one of our favorite local Italian restaurants. For toppings, we used Asiago and Mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, and fresh pineapple. You gotta try the Asiago cheese on pizza – sooooo good!!!
| Troy tossed the dough a couple of times and he did miss once – yep, it landed on the floor – “3-second rule” right? |
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| When we made pizzas last week, Rinoa made a bear-shaped pizza. Today, she’s making a bus. |
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| And here’s Mica, working on her pizza. |
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I know, I got so excited when the pizzas were done, that I forgot to take pictures of the final products. The grilled fresh pineapples on my pizza were just calling me – I couldn’t resist.
Valentine’s Cookies
Posted on | February 15, 2009 | 1 Comment
Mica had a crash course on baking this weekend when she tried to make some Valentine’s Cookies. (She really loves baking, by the way.) Let’s just say her first attempt to make a dough didn’t go so well because she skipped a few directions that she thought were unimportant. Lesson learned – nothing good comes out of rushing things.
But all is well. I encouraged her to try again (with my supervision this time) – you can’t learn if you don’t make mistakes. And now she’s a happy camper.
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| Here, Auntie Jona is helping Mica cut some shapes from the dough: |
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| And Rinoa is trying to help: |
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| Here are the lovely cookies from Mica’s creative imagination: |
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Kung Fu Panda Soup
Posted on | July 8, 2008 | 1 Comment
I was talking to my friend Rhea this morning when she mentioned that she made Chinese noodle soup for the family after watching Kung Fu Panda. Funny because I also craved for that soup after watching the movie. Must be real good animation.
Here’s how she made the soup:
1. Buy a rotisserie chicken and debone it.
2. Saute minced garlic and onion in a stockpot. Add the chicken meat, season with salt and pepper, and let it sweat for a few minutes. Then add the bones and chicken drippings from the pan, if there’s any.
3. Add about 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for a few minutes. Add a few drops of sesame oil after simmering.
4. Prepare individual portions of thin chinese noodles, as directed in the package.
5. Place noodles in deep bowls. Add some shredded Chinese cabbage and chicken meat from the soup. Pour soup in each bowl and top with slices of boiled egg, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon minced roasted garlic, and chopped scallions. Sprinkle powdered white pepper before serving.
She said, “The trick is to use store-bought rotisserie chicken and bottled minced roasted garlic. Five minutes and you have wonderful soup … Oh and don’t forget to put a few drops of sesame oil in the soup … And you know that thing that makes your nose drip? It’s powdered white pepper, so don’t forget to add that too.”
I made it tonight for dinner. I told my family it was “mami” from Kung Fu Panda. Rinoa said, “There’s no mommy in Kung Fu Panda.”
Thanks Rhea! =)
Crinkles for Rae, Part II
Posted on | July 2, 2008 | 1 Comment
Today is my second attempt at baking cookies for my friend. As always, I’ve got my small elf (Rinoa) and big elf (Mica) to help me. No surprise that the first batch we made two days ago is ALL gone!
Here’s Rinoa cracking the eggs all by herself.
We made a lot so I decided to send some to my brother Jay and his wife Ivy. =)
