What's New at Toast Asian Kitchen?

We love Asian food and there are many dining places that we go to for specific cravings, be it Chinese, Korean, Japanese, or Filipino. For Asian fusion, there's only a handful, and TOAST Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room is up on my list of must-visit. 

I've shared in detail how I enjoyed my first visit to TOAST here just weeks after they opened. Masarap kasi talaga yung food nila. I was immediately impressed by their well-thought out menu which made for a pleasurable get-together with a couple of my blogger friends. A few weeks later, I even brought my whole family there to celebrate my birthday. This just goes to show how happy and satisfied I was with TOAST.

read more

BLISS BOWLS, Deliciously Healthy Smoothie Bowls

First Friday of the month: Foodie Finds / Healthy Food

I love fruit smoothies. My favorites are blended frozen strawberry-banana, ripe mango, and mango-banana combos. Sometimes, I add chia seeds and honey in the mix. When juicing and green smoothies became a fad, I never got into it mainly because I didn't like the idea of drinking and mixing raw veggies in my fruit shakes. Hindi lang ako sanay na iniinom ang gulay unless it's in soup form. But I know they're healthy. Then came these power breakfast smoothie bowls that I see posted on Instagram. It got me curious but have never tried one before until BLISS BOWLS opened.

read more

5 Favorite Makan Lunch Meals at Makansutra Hawkers

"Makansutra, founded by entrepreneur-photojournalist KF Seetoh, celebrates the best of Asian Food Culture and Lifestyle. KF Seetoh, the Guru of Grub, has been championing street food culture in many ways. He was accorded and recognised as Singapore’s Food Ambassador by then President Mr SR Nathan. After a decade in the media industry, Seetoh put a lucrative photography business aside and founded Makansutra in 1997." - www.makansutra.com

read more

My First Cookie Swap Party

First Friday of the month: Food / Baking

Happy New Year, everyone! =)

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday break filled with memorable feasts. May we all crave for more epicurean delights and share new foodie discoveries this year. This is my first blog feature for 2017 and it happens to be Foodie Friday, so let's start with something festive and delicious to welcome the new year, shall we?

read more

Foodie Friday: What Have I Been Eating???

First Friday of the month: Food Finds / Dessert

Dessert. Cake. Ice Cream. Nuts. Chocolate. For the past month, my foodie finds have been mostly baked goods and sweets, except for this natural cracked pili nut. I really have a sweet tooth and it's simply a challenge for me to refuse desserts. The sad truth is that I have an intolerance for gluten and eggs -- what pastries are mainly made of. Well, Mother's Day naman...okay, Mother's month, hehehe, so I'll "cheat" na muna! =)

read more

Foodie Friday: Masaganang Bagong Taon

First Friday of the month: Food and Dining

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! 
I hope you all had a memorable and meaningful yuletide season spent with loved ones. Today is the first day of 2016 and the first Friday of the month. You know what that means -- Foodie Friday here on the blog. With that, I'd like to begin by giving thanks to the Almighty for a bountiful year that has passed, and hoping for continued abundance in the next twelve months.

read more

My Top Foodie Hits from Alaska Merry Crémas Festival 2015

It's December, and I can already feel the holiday spirit! Have you started decorating your home? Are you planning for your noche buena and Christmas potluck parties? The holiday season gives everyone a reason to eat and be merry, literally. It's when we get to enjoy all the specialty dishes that our parents and grannies used to prepare. And when it comes to holiday dishes, one of the most in-demand ingredient is the all-purpose cream. Just think of the delicious possibilities!

read more

Moms' Pre-Christmas Night Out at The Bayleaf in Intramuros

First Friday of the month: Food and Dining

Umpisa na ng mga Christmas get-togethers. My December calendar is getting filled and I can already feel the festive mood in the air. I haven't completed my gift shopping yet (panic mode) but I've already blocked the dates for holiday dinners and parties. The first for this season was a night out with friends at The Bayleaf hotel.

read more

Fun Friday: Mothers Who Brunch Holiday Potluck Party

Third Friday of the month: Celebration / Holidays

The holidays are fast approaching and I am frantically drawing up my list for gift-giving, and blocking off dates from my calendar for get-togethers and events. If you're one to celebrate Thanksgiving, then you need to plan your menu now. Here are some ideas on potluck party preparations, from food to table settings, during the Mothers Who Brunch Holiday edition held at the Viking Range Showroom in Alabang.

read more

Foodie Friday: Eggless and Alcohol-Free Tiramisu

First Friday of the month: Recipe / Dessert

The other day, I stopped by Santi's Deli to buy a few stuff and spotted a tub of mascarpone cheese. I instantly craved for tiramisu! I already made it once before and I want to make it again. Without second thoughts (ang mahal na pala nung cheese!), I grabbed a small tub and paid for my items. The ingredients for the cake started running through my head. I had no time to buy all ingredients so whatever is in my kitchen will have to do.

read more

Foodie Friday: Cream Puffs, Crepes, and Croquembouche

First Friday of the month: Pastries / Baking Class

I started baking when I was in elementary. I can't recall what I made first, but I remember buying a box of brownie mix and tried to bake it as instructed in the box. Then, I moved on oatmeal cookies until I learned more about cooking and baking during high school practical arts and home eco classes. Last month, I was able to attend a private baking class by Chef Christa Mendiola where she taught how to make one of my favorite pastries ever -- the cream puff!

read more

Foodie Friday: No-Bake OREO Cheesecake Singles

First Friday of the month: Recipe / Dessert

This is my last Foodie Friday post for the year, and what better way than to feature another dessert that you can serve at your holiday parties, or give as gifts.  It's safe to say that Oreo is the world's most popular sandwich cookie, the go-to snack that's well-loved by kids and adults with it's delicious simplicity and versatility as a sweet treat. Inspired by my most popular blog post - the No-bake Blueberry Cheesecake, and other Oreo cheesecakes I've seen in the market, I made a spin on this classic recipe and came up with two versions, this time with Oreo cookies.

read more

Foodie Friday: Rita's Italian Ice Now in the Philippines

First Friday of the month: Dessert / Italian Ice / Frozen Custard

I'm taking a break from recipes for today as I want to share the hottest... errr, coolest news in town! Rita’s Italian Ice, the largest Italian Ice concept in the world with over 600 stores in the U.S., is opening it's first store in the Philippines tomorrow, November 8! 

While I enjoy my occasional frozen treats, my husband and daughter are ice cream monsters. That's why I'm very excited to tell you about my newest foodie find.  My blogger friends and I were invited to Rita's Italian Ice product tasting the other day at their first outlet in Greenhills. Long story short, we were all blown away by how good Rita's Ice and Frozen Custards are. I used to handle an imported premium ice cream brand when I was still working, so I pretty much have an idea on how quality ice cream should be.  Rita's delivers it's promise.

Let me tell you about their mouth-watering creations below, and what my favorites are.
Warning: Dessert porn ahead. =)

Dense chocolate Frozen Custard with rainbow sprinkles

"Rita’s adheres to strict product standards.  All of our Ice is made fresh daily at each and every location.  To ensure you receive only the freshest product available, our Freshness Policy requires that our Italian Ice and Cream Ices be discarded if not sold within 36 hours of being made."

RITA'S ITALIAN ICE
Italian ice, also known as water ice, is a sweet, smooth frozen dessert made fresh daily. It is made by the same process as ice cream, freezing the ingredients while mixing them together, which results in a very smooth consistency.

• It's NOT shaved ice
• Made with real fruits and fruit purées
• All Ice is served within 36 hours of mixing
• Trans-Fat free 
• Dozens of refreshing flavors (locally, 39 flavors on rotation, more to come)
• Sugar-Free Italian Ice is sweetened with Splenda® Brand Sweetener

MOM-FRIDAY'S FAVORITE ITALIAN ICE FLAVORS:

Alex's Lemonade

Blueberry (with fruit bits!)

Cotton Candy

Mango

Clockwise, from top:  Chocolate, Mango, Mint Chocolate, Cherry, Banana Split

CREAM ICE
That's “Ice Cream” backwards -- it's the creamy version of the Italian Ice, smooth and full of indulgent flavors.

MOM-FRIDAY'S FAVORITE CREAM ICE FLAVORS:

Banana Split

Black Cherry Cheesecake

Dulce de Leche

Mint Chocolate Chip

Regular cup of Mint Chocolate Chip Cream Ice

Clockwise, from top:  Black Cherry Cheesecake, Chocolate Chip Cheesecake, Cotton Candy

FROZEN CUSTARD
Similar to ice cream, but it's made with eggs in addition to cream and sugar. The egg yolk gives it a thick, creamy texture.

• Rich, smooth, and creamy
• Very dense (not like soft serve ice cream that has more air when mixed)
• Comes in decadent flavors
• Vanilla, Light Vanilla (has 60% less fat), Coffee, Chocolate
• Also available - Vanilla/Chocolate Twist
• Served in cup or cone
• A Sundae comes with two toppings

Frozen Custard samplers:  Chocolate, Light Vanilla, Coffee

I love the classic Vanilla and Coffee flavors the most. Rita's Frozen Custard is delicious as is, or add toppings of your choice.  

Proof of how thick their custard is, Ted turned over this sprinkled chocolate custard in a cone, 3 times, and it didn't fall off!

GELATI
Best of both worlds, this is a layering of your favorite Italian Ice and creamy Frozen Custard.
It’s Rita's #1 selling treat and I understand why... I love this too! Get creative with your own combo.

Regular GELATI:  Vanilla Frozen Custard over Dulce de Leche Ice

BLENDINI®
A creamy-crunchy blend of your favorite Italian Ice + Frozen Custard + choice of topping.
Choose from a variety of toppings, like my fave Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cups, OREO® Cookie Pieces, M&M’s® Minis, Snickers®, and many more!

MILK SHAKES
Richer and creamier with milk + Frozen Custard, topped with thick whipped cream and fresh cherry.

FROZEN LEMONADE
A refreshing blend of Alex’s Lemonade Italian Ice + any Italian Ice flavor of your choice. Sip and go!

MISTO®

A blended combination of your favorite Italian Ice + Frozen Custard, Misto is like Gelati you can drink.

CUSTARD COOKIE SANDWICH
Frozen Custard sandwiched between two jumbo OREO® cookies. Winner! You can roll them on rainbow sprinkles too!

Rita's Italian Ice - Philippines currently has 39 flavors and over a dozen toppings on offer. It's gonna be hard to enjoy just one cool treat from Rita's, I tell you.  They also plan to come out with a Pinoy-inspired flavor to add to their menu. Will have to watch out for that!

On my next visit, I want to try this Custard Cookie Sandwhich, and maybe a Blendini too. Bonus for us is the store's location is near our neighborhood, woohoo! My kids can't wait to go to Rita's!

Tip:  A Regular cup of any order is quite filling (because it's thick and dense).   

I suggest you come with your family and friends, order different creations and share them.  This way, you get to try and enjoy more flavors.

Get Rita’s. Get Happy!

Thanks for having us, Rita's Italian Ice, and welcome to (warm and sunny) Philippines! You'll be a hit, for sure!

With Ted Castro, Rita's Ice PH's Operations Manager; Jamie Snyder, Franchise Business Consultant for Rita's Ice PH (she's been with Rita's Ice for 20 years!), and my friends Rowena (center) and Trixie (right). Thanks  also to Rita's V-Mall crew!

OPENING on NOVEMBER 8, 2014!

Rita's Italian Ice - Philippines

V-Mall, Greenhills, San Juan City

Get updates on Rita's products and new flavors here:

Facebook: Rita's Italian Ice - The Philippines

Instagram: @ritasiceph  #RitasIcePh

I'd love to know your thoughts on this post.  If you enjoyed this, feel free to share it!
Get instant updates:
My Mom-Friday on Facebook
Follow @mymomfriday on Twitter and Instagram
Also on Google Friend Connect, or Subscribe Via Email. I try my best to reply and answer any questions you may have on each entry so check back if you've left one. 
Thank you and do visit again!
(Comments with links will automatically be flagged by Disqus.)

read more

Halloween Trip and Treats Party Planning

It's the Halloween weekend and I'm sure there will be a lot of spooky-fun revelries around the globe. As I've mentioned in my past Halloween posts, we never really prepare for this event since it's not traditionally celebrated in my family. My kids only joined the fun at school parades or when they invited to go trick-or-treating. Anyhow, my boy and I just had our most memorable Halloween party yet, courtesy of Oreo!

read more

Foodie Friday: Brotzeit's Apfelstrudel (Apple Strudel)

First Friday of the month: Food / Recipe

I've been sharing my love for food and cooking with my children ever since they learned how to hold their own spoon and fork.  They also get to watch me prepare and cook simple meals at home. My girl is more curious when it comes to food, so I'm really happy that she shares my enthusiasm and interest in my foodie adventures.  Last weekend, it was her turn to be hands-on at a Kinder Köche class, featuring a recipe from Brotzeit.

read more

Milk and Choco Cookie Shots

There's something about milk and cookies - it's comfort food, kids love it, adults love it, it's a classic pairing for snacks or even dessert.  Now, what if, instead of dunking your cookie in milk, you can pour milk IN your cookie!

read more

Mom-Finds: Wilton Snack Server (Dessert and Cake Stand)

Last Friday of the month:  Mom-Finds and Faves

The holiday season is here, which means Christmas party galore!  Whether you're attending or hosting one, social gatherings require some sort of production effort, including food presentation.  With the party season in mind, I though it would be nice to share my latest kitchen find that's perfect for serving snacks and desserts beautifully.

read more

Homemade Caramel Macchiato Ice Cream

Last July 3, I finally made my first ice cream at home!  I have no ice cream maker, no eggs needed, and no professional mixer required either.  With just three ingredients, I was able to re-create this homemade ice cream recipe from Anchor Home Chef winner Michiko Halili.  It was a success!

CARAMEL MACCHIATO ICE CREAM by Michiko Halili
Anchor Home Chef winner

After tasting this coffee-flavored ice cream during the Anchor Home Chef finals night I featured last month, I was dead set on trying it at home.  The short list of ingredients and simple instructions were very encouraging.  

I posted all the dishes in my Anchor post, including this Caramel Macchiato Ice Cream recipe here.

The girl was more excited than I am since she was asking to make the ice cream much earlier, but I was not able to buy the Anchor Culinary Cream for the caramel yet.  As soon as I completed the ingredients - 3 for the ice cream, and 3 for the caramel sauce (how cool is that?!), we scheduled our kitchen date one afternoon and made our first coffee ice cream.

I used a hand mixer to whip the coffee, whipping cream, and condensed milk.  I only had coffee granules at that time, so we took out our mortar and pestle and the girl pounded away until we got our powdered coffee.

As I was taking a shot from my phone, she pulled a fast one on me and dipped her finger to taste! Approved! Time to cover this bowl and left it overnight to freeze.

Meanwhile, I heated the sugar and butter to make the caramel sauce.  The recipe did not call for vanilla, but I added 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract for a warm aromatic flavor before mixing in the cream.  Rich, thick, sinful caramel!

Ta-daaa!  

Presenting - our first homemade ice cream!  It's really creamy and flavorful, even without the caramel. Thanks to Michiko for creating this easy-to-do recipe.

Click on the photo to watch the 15-second video I posted on Instagram.

With the recipe, I made over a quart of ice cream, and over a cup of caramel sauce.  Lots of leftover caramel, so one time, I sprinkled sea salt and dipped some cookies.  Heaven!

Go try this at home!  Even kids can do this (with some assistance using the mixer).  Since we already have the base ice cream recipe, we can experiment with other flavors next time.  I'm thinking cookie butter ice cream!

Caramel Macchiato Ice Cream recipe and more, here: Winning Recipes Re-imagined by Anchor Home Chefs

View my #MomFridayVideogram

I'd love to know your thoughts on this post.  If you enjoyed this, feel free to share it!
Get instant updates:
My Mom-Friday on Facebook
Follow @mymomfriday on Twitter and Instagram
Also on Google Friend Connect, or Subscribe Via Email.
I try my best to reply and answer any questions you may have on each entry so check back if you've left one. Thank you and do visit again!
(Comments with links will automatically be flagged by Disqus.)

read more

Cupcakes and Cookie Cups

Freestyle Friday:  Food / Sweets

It's a lucky year 'coz my birthday month has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays, and 5 Sundays!  And you know what 5 Fridays mean on this blog... (If you don't, well, go and click on that link above!).

We still have left-over goodies in the house -- like cookies, cakes, even ice cream cake!  Most of them were gifts for my birthday, and I'm so thankful! 

Freestyle Friday - no theme for today, so I thought, why not share with you (at least in pictures) what I had been snacking on over the past few weeks.  If you were following my Instagram posts, you might have seen some of these sinful sweets already.  But now, I want you to drool over them from here this time, heehee... 

The Cookie Cups
Soft, chewy, gooey, sweet, chunky chocolate chip cookie cups, oatmeal cookie cups, and red velvet cookie cups! Take your pick from an assortment of toppings like mini marshmallows, chocolate morsels, even Twix and Maltesers.

My girl's preschool teacher, Ivorie, is the baker behind these delightful little cups of heaven from Cookie Bar Manila. The girl obviously loved the caramel and peanut butter toppings.  I can't choose, I enjoyed them all. ;)  Get a dozen of these classic cookie cups for PhP350.

That's an oatmeal cookie cup on the left, and... JUMBO chocolate chip cookie... errr... cake, on the right!  Yes, that's a super chunky Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake!

It's amazing how the cookie cake is still moist and chewy even with it's thickness, and eaten at room temperature.  That's 6 inches of giant cookie goodness, and sells for PhP450.  Slice and serve.  Warm it up a few seconds in the microwave and you can top with ice cream too!

For orders or inquiries, visit:  www.facebook.com/Cookiebarmanila

The White Oreo Cupcake
My co-parent, Ethel, is a busy mom of three and is a baker at heart.  When she has some time, she whips up some luscious cupcakes.  On the last day of school a week ago, she gave me these beautiful white cupcakes as a belated birthday treat as well.  These look like vanilla cupcakes but they are more milky white in color -- not yellowish.  Sorry, I can't share her secret.  ;)

This white cupcake is more dense than the usual, yet still moist, complimented by the creamy frosting.  It's a heavy cupcake with cookie bits inside, and the surprise Oreo cookie bottom - genius! She's not selling her cupcakes at the moment.  It'll let you know once she decides to take orders.  Her red velvet cupcakes can also give popular bakers out there a run for their money.

BAKED Cupcakes

These cupcakes are too pretty to eat.  I just had to close my eyes, take a bite, and enjoy.  Ericka, part of a trio behind the dessert shop Baked, sent over a box of their luscious cupcakes.  Again, the girl was ogling at the colorful swirls of frosting. 

 

My favorite is this light and fluffy Blueberry Twist which I devoured as soon as I saw the box... okay, I attacked after I took photos!  See that blueberry filling oozing out from the center?  Yummm...winner!  I had to give the last bite to my girl, plus the big cloud of frosting.

They also sent Black Forest with that cherry on top, and Loco For Coco.  I also enjoyed the Peanut Butter and Chocolate, that one up on the right.  It delivered that decadent combination which I really like, and it's not too sweet.  These babies are priced between PhP 48 - 65 each.

For orders or inquiries, visit: www.facebook.com/BakedPhilippines

Go ahead, indulge this weekend! What's your sinful sweet cravings?

I'd love to know your thoughts on this post.  If you enjoyed this, feel free to share it!
Get instant updates:
My Mom-Friday on Facebook
Follow @mymomfriday on Twitter and Instagram
Also on Google Friend Connect, or Subscribe Via Email.
I try my best to reply and answer any questions you may have on each entry so check back if you've left one. Thank you and do visit again!
(Comments with links will automatically be flagged by Disqus.)

read more