Sweet Potato Bake

I know it's been a while since I updated this blog. Finally, I'm here now and making a new post. It doesn't mean that I haven't been doing anything in my kitchen. In fact I've been cooking a lot lately than the previous months. Only, I was just too busy and lazy to make a post here.

The other day I cooked the sweet potatoes that I bought. Actually, I bought 6.5 lbs of sweet potatoes in the market. I gave some to my sis and they boiled it and ate it just like that. The rest I cooked and made sweet potato bake. It's the 2nd time that I made this recipe and my hubby always love it. He loves sweet you know. I gave some to my nephews too. Here's the recipe:

Sweet Potato Bake

INGREDIENTS

* 4 cups cold mashed sweet potatoes (without added milk and butter)
* 1/3 cup brown sugar
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/4 cup butter, softened
* 3 eggs
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* TOPPING:
* 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup chopped pecans or rolled oats
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
* 2 tablespoons cold butter

DIRECTIONS

1. In a mixing bowl, beat sweet potatoes, sugar, milk, butter, eggs, salt and vanilla until smooth. Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, pecans and flour; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over potato mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.

Macaroni Fruit Salad

We always have this macaroni salad during special occasions like birthdays, Christmas and New Year's Day celebrations. It's always been our family's favorite because it's really appetizing to eat after meals for our dessert. We also eat it during snack time. Yummy!

Ingredients:

* 1 pkg salad macaroni, cooked per direction on the the package
* 1 large can of regular fruit cocktail
* 1 bottle of kaong
* 1 bottle of nata de coco (clear coconut cubes)
* 1 can of condensed milk
* 2 cans of nestle cream
* 1 medium size bottle of mayonnaise
* Cheddar cheese cut into cubes (optional)

Directions:

1. Drain the syrup form your fruit cocktails and bottles of nata de coco. You can dry them by mixing them all together in a strainer and leaving them there for a few minutes to drain any excess syrup.

2. Place the drained fruit cocktails and nata de coco in a large mixing bowl and add the cooked macaroni, mayonnaise and then Nestle cream. Mix well.

3. Add the condense milk, and then the cubed cheddar cheese, if you choose this ingredient. Mix them all together until everything is evenly blended.

4. Place the bowl inside the fridge and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Then serve and enjoy!

Halayang Ube (Purple Yam Jam)

My hubby and I went to the market the other day. We bought some veggies, meat, fish and fruits. I happened to see ube and I bought 1 1/4 kilo. I cooked it today and we ate it as a dessert after our meal. It was so yummy. I miss eating ube while I was in Texas. Its been more than 5 years. I used to cook this recipe before. Now I cooked it again. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 kilo ube yam root
1 can (14 ounces) evaporated milk
2 cans (12 ounces) condensed milk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla (optional)

Cooking Instructions:

1. On a pot, boil the unpeeled ube yam in water and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain and let cool.
2. Peel and finely grate the ube yam.
3. Heat a big wok in medium heat.
4. Melt butter or margarine, add the condensed milk and vanilla flavoring. Mix well.
5. Add the 1 kilo grated ube yam,
6. Adjust the heat to low
7. Keep on mixing the ingredients for about 30 minutes or until sticky and a bit dry (but still moist).
8. Add the evaporated milk and continue to mix for another 15 minutes.
9. Let cool and place on a large platter.
10. Refrigerate before serving the halayang ube.

Cooking Tips:

You may spread additional butter or margarine on top of the jam before serving.
For the sweet toothed, sprinkle a little sugar on top of the jam after placing on the large platter.
Instead of manually grating the ube, you may cut it in cubes and use a blender to powderize the ube.

Pistacchio Pudding

The first time I tasted pistachio pudding was in Alvarado. My youngest step-daughter made it and it was good. I searched for the recipe and I tried to make pistachio pudding one time and it turned out good. Here's the recipe.

1 small can pineapple tidbits, save juice
2 c. small marshmallows
1/2 c. nuts
8 oz. Cool Whip
1 pkge. pistachio pudding mix

Save juices; mix with pudding mix. Pour over ingredients and refrigerate.

Maja Blanca

We had lots of foods in our house last night because it was the wedding anniversary of my brother and his wife. We had pancit, bilo-bilo, banana pudding and maja blanca. They were all home-made and we really had a great time eating. All my siblings and their family were all present and we had a blast. My sister was the one who cooked the maja blanca. She learned the recipe from me. I taught her before I went to the US. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

1/2 c Cream Cornstarch
3/4 c corn (canned)
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 cup evap milk
2 coconuts (grated)
grated cheese

1. Place grated coconut in a cheese cloth. Squeeze to get 1 cup of kakang gata and set aside. Mix 2 cups of water water with the grated coconut and squeeze to get thin coconut milk. Set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine corn, cornstarch and sugar and mix well. Add 1/2 cup water and coconut milk. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened.

3. Grease pan or mold with cooking oil. Pour the mixture in and top with cheese. Let set until cool.

No Bake Cheesecake

I love cheesecake but it's a lot of work to bake it. Then I learned to make a no-bake cheesecake and it's a lot easier to prepare. It taste good too. Here's the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

* 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
* 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/3 cup butter, melted
* 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
* 2 teaspoons lemon juice
* 1 pint heavy whipping cream
* 1/3 cup white sugar
* 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter and mix well. Press into the bottom of an 8 or 10 inch spring form pan. Chill until firm.
2. In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese and lemon juice until soft. Add whipping cream and beat with an electric mixer until batter becomes thick. Add the sugar and continue to beat until stiff. Pour into chilled crust, and top with pie filling. Chill several hours or overnight. Just before serving, remove the sides of the springform pan.

Eggless Sweet Potato Casserole

I just love sweet potato casserole. This is one of my favorite desserts. You might want to try this recipe and I'm pretty sure you would enjoy it. This sweet potato casserole is topped with brown sugar and pecans. A family favorite!

INGREDIENTS

* 6 sweet potato -- cooked, peeled and mashed
* 1/4 cup evaporated milk
* 1/4 cup orange juice
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 tablespoons butter, melted
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*
* 1/3 cup butter, melted
* 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup chopped pecans


DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 2 quart casserole dish and set aside.
2. Blend together the sweet potatoes, evaporated milk, orange juice, vanilla, sugar, salt, 3 tablespoons butter, nutmeg and cinnamon. Pour into prepared casserole dish.
3. Prepare the topping by mixing together the 1/3 cup butter, brown sugar, flour and pecans. Sprinkle over casserole and bake for 45 minutes or until hot.

Sweet Potato Bake

In the Philippines, we cook sweet potatoes by boiling, grilling or making camote cue. It's only when I got here in the US that I got to taste the sweet potato bake. Oh my, it was so good! I really love it so I searched for the recipe and I tried to cook it. I first tried to cook sweet potato bake last year after I harvested my sweet potatoes. I had lots of it from my garden so I cooked sweet potato bake. It turned out good. My hubby and I enjoyed it.


INGREDIENTS

* 3 cups cold mashed sweet potatoes (without added milk and butter)
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/4 cup butter, softened
* 3 eggs
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* TOPPING:
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup chopped pecans
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 tablespoons cold butter

DIRECTIONS

1. In a mixing bowl, beat sweet potatoes, sugar, milk, butter, eggs, salt and vanilla until smooth. Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, pecans and flour; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over potato mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.

Leche Flan

I learned to make leche flan when I was still in the Philippines. It's good for dessert and it's rich and creamy. Since I became diabetic, I seldom eat sweets and if I eat, I just eat a little bit. My hubby has a sweet tooth so once in a while, I cook sweets for him.

INGREDIENTS

* 1 cup white sugar
* 3 eggs
* 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
* 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt sugar until liquefied and golden in color. Carefully pour hot syrup into a 9 inch round glass baking dish, turning the dish to evenly coat the bottom and sides. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Beat in condensed milk, evaporated milk and vanilla until smooth. Pour egg mixture into baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil.
4. Bake in preheated oven 60 minutes. Let cool completely.
5. To serve, carefully invert on serving plate with edges when completely cool.

Creamy Rice Pudding.

My hubby and I love rice pudding. I made it several times already. It is so good for dessert and this recipe is so simple and easy to make. Try it and you will love it.

INGREDIENTS

* 3/4 cup uncooked white rice
* 2 cups milk, divided
* 1/3 cup white sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 egg, beaten
* 2/3 cup golden raisins
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. In another saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups cooked rice, 1 1/2 cups milk, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk, beaten egg and raisins. Cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla. Serve warm.

Cranberry Gelatin Salad

If you love gelatin, here's a great recipe for a gelatin salad that you can prepare especially on special occasions like Christmas and Thanksgiving.

INGREDIENTS

* 2 (0.3 ounce) packages sugar-free cherry flavored gelatin mix
* 2 cups boiling water
* 1 (16 ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce
* 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
* 1/2 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the gelatin and boiling water; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Mix in cranberry sauce and pineapple.
2. Transfer to glass serving dishes. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Chill until set and serve.

Graham Cracker Eclair "Cake"

Ingredients:
15 HONEY MAID Honey Grahams, broken in half (30 squares), divided
1-1/2 cups milk
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
1 cup chocolate ready-to-spread frosting

Directions:
ARRANGE 10 of the graham squares, slightly overlapping, on bottom of 8-inch square pan; set aside. Beat milk and dry pudding mix with whisk 2 min. Let stand 5 min. Stir in whipped topping.

SPREAD half of the pudding mixture over graham squares in pan; top with 10 of the remaining graham squares and remaining pudding mixture. Cover with remaining graham squares.

REFRIGERATE at least 3 hours. Spread with frosting just before serving.

Banana Pudding

My hubby loves banana pudding and every time there is an occasion he makes it a point to make one. Yesterday, we had a get together party on Mother's Day and of course he made his favorite banana pudding. Our friends love his banana pudding and my friend Ging requested me to post the recipe here. So I asked my hubby to give me his recipe and here it is.

INGREDIENTS

* 1 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
* 3 cups milk
* 4 tbsp whipped topping
* 4 bananas, sliced
* 1/2 (12 ounce) package vanilla wafers

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat pudding mix and milk for 2 minutes. Fold in cool whipped topping. Layer wafers, then sliced bananas and then pour pudding mixture in a glass serving bowl. Repeat putting layers until you used all the pudding mixture. Chill until serving.

Maja Blanca (Tibuk-tibuk)

I used to make maja blanca when I was still in the Philippines. But it's been many years since I last made it and I forgot already the recipe. I didn't have the copy of the recipe so I have to search the internet and came up with this.

Ingredients:

1/2 c Cream Cornstarch
3/4 c corn (canned)
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 cup evap milk
2 coconuts (grated)
coconut oil (from Latik recipe)

1. Place grated coconut in a cheese cloth. Squeeze to get 1 cup of kakang gata and set aside. Mix 2 cups of water water with the grated coconut and squeeze to get thin coconut milk. Set aside.

2. In a blender or food processor, puree the corn. In a mixing bowl, combine corn, cornstarch and sugar and mix well. Add 1/2 cup water and coconut milk. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened.

3. Grease pan or mold with the latik oil. Pour the mixture in and let set until cool. Top with Latik.

Latik:

1 c coconut milk
3 tbs white sugar (optional)

Boil coconut milk until oil separates from mixture. Take all the excess oil out and set aside. Add sugar to latik and cook until crisp.

Variations:
1. The corn is used to make this dessert yellow in color...of course there's the taste. I've also seen this dessert with whole corn kernels mixed into it.

2. You can also use canned or powdered coconut milk if fresh grated coconut is not available.