Pumpkin Soup

I would call this one an upgraded version of the locally known "dinuldog".  You can go light or creamy with this soup. For this round, I just added milk. This plain pumpkin soup is actually jam packed with a lot more than what you see. This is very delicious and good source of vitamins for your little ones and adults alike. My daughter is sometimes a picky eater and she can finish up a bowl of this. The main ingredients for this would be what you see below. Just make sure that if you choose a medium-sized gourd that your other ingredients would be rationally proportioned. Normally, I'd use a regular blender, but since mine went kablam! I used a stick blender and it still turned out the way I wanted; kitchen crisis averted! =)

 

 1/8 cup cooking oil

1/8 pumpkin or squash, sliced to smaller bits
1 white onion, 

3-4 cloves garlic,

2 potatoes,
2 carrots, 

chicken stock (just enough to cover ingredient while simmering)

salt and pepper
milk / regular or coconut cream

Directions:

Prepare chicken stock ahead (you can use cubes or boil chicken bones). Chop pumpkin into matchbox sizes; mince onion, garlic, potatoes and carrots. In a pot, put cooking oil, saute garlic and white onions for 1 minute. Saute pumpkin and stir it once in a while for about 5 minutes. Add in chicken stock, throw in the potatoes and carrots and simmer until all the ingredients are soft. Remove from heat. Using a blender, throw in the mixture and blend until its consistency is smooth.

If using regular cream or coconut cream, put the smooth mixture back into the pot and add in cream and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring to incorporate the cream into the mixture. Serve while still hot. Top with croutons or serve with garlic bread.

Chicken Mami

For those times when it is past 10pm and it's raining cats and dogs(very cliché). Nothing to do... nobody to talk to... nobody there to comfort you... Hahahahaha (emo moments) :-(

You will always have a choice between your instant noodles or that "pansiterya" (noodle stall) just right down the corner from where you live. Ooopssies, I forgot! Did I mention that it was raining? Isn't that a bummer?

So just cook your own comfort food; my choice during these rainy days would be a steaming hot bowl of chicken mami, warm yourself with a blanket and watch a movie. Cherrio!

Here's the list of ingredients

 

Serves 1 

•  4-5 cloves of crushed garlic
•  1/2 bulb med. sized onion, thinly sliced
•  1/2 slice of breast, sliced
•  4 cups of water
•  1 med. sized carrots, peeled
•  1/4 cup cabbage, shredded
•  1/2 cup fresh miki, rinsed
•  salt and pepper  

Garnish

• 1 hard-boiled egg
• 1 med sized scallions, chopped
• crushed chicharon (fried pork rinds)

Directions:
Bring chicken to boil with 3 cups of water, crushed garclic, onion, salt and pepper to taste. Note: To skip adding chicken flavoring, I've added chicken's backbone to produce more flavor to the broth. Simmer for about 20-30 minutes, remove scum that surfaces. Gradually add in water when needed. 

Wait until chicken breasts are slightly tender before adding carrots, add in fresh miki, add cabbage. Once chicken meat and carrots are tender, serve in a bowl. Garnish with sliced hard-boiled egg, chopped scallions and crushed pork rinds.

Serve while it is still hot!