trey's godiva gelatin

it's one of my guiltiest pleasures, and one of the easiest to make.

i'm a sucker for desserts, and this is one of my most favorite to make and devour!

ingredients:

• gelatin powder or sheet
• instant coffee powder, either caffeinated or decaf is fine, but you can also use freshly brewed coffee in place of water to make the gelatin
  
• milk, or powdered milk in whatever variant you prefer - full, skimmed, low-fat, soy
• sugar or honey, to taste
• tapioca balls (optional)
• vanilla extract (optional)

1. prepare the gelatin as it should be. directions depend on what kind of gelatin you're going to use. sheet or powder, just follow the directions in the package.

2. as soon as the gelatin melts seamlessly into the water, add the instant coffee powder. you can add the instant coffee powder before or during heating of the gelatin. if you're using freshly brewed coffee, use it in place of water. bring liquid mixture to a boil while stirring constantly, preferably with a whisk.

3. pour coffee gelatin into your mold. i suggest a flat mold. i also use ice cube trays in shapes of stars and hearts that i got from projekt, a store in parkmall. it makes for interesting display.

4. after the gelatin has cooled and firmed, you may slice it into strips with a blunt knife if you're using the flat mold or remove the gelatin shapes from the ice cube trays. you can also use cookie cutters to make shapes too.

5. prepare the milk. if you're using milk, add sugar or honey according to taste. if you're using powdered milk, add sugar to taste before mixing with water. if you're using powdered milk, add the honey after. you may also add vanilla extract at this point.

6. pour the coffee gelatin strips into the sweetened milk, and you may add tapioca balls at this point.

7. chill the mixture.

8. spoon the cold concoction into serving plates or glasses.

9. eat, sip, and enjoy.

coffee has anti-oxidants.
honey is good for the body.
milk promotes health.

and you can use freshly brewed tea instead of coffee for a different twist, which i do from time to time.

going gaga for lady gaga

oh my effing god.

lady gaga's paparazzi video is out now.

i've had this song in my head for forever!

and the video does not disappoint!

thank you GOD!

budbud kabog

just enjoying this scrumptious treat from tuburan.

(super happy mode)

trey's basic marinara sauce

the marinara sauce, for me, is one of the most multi-function sauces ever.

it can serve as pasta sauce, as dipping sauce, as pizza sauce, and as a base for soups and rice dishes.

so here's my take on the classic homemade marinara.

fresh tomatoes, seeded and peeled
garlic
onion
salt and pepper to taste

1. in a pot of boiling water, gently throw in the tomatoes for 30 to 45 seconds, then scoop them out into cool ice water.

2. peel off the skin, and remove the seeds.

3. sautee garlic and onions, salt and pepper to taste.

4. add deseeded and peeled tomatoes, simmer for 10 minutes.

5. pour mixture in processor or blender, then puree.

6. cool and store mixture in the refrigerator (or freezer) if not needed immediately. for the best taste, consume within a week.

of course, this is the homemade artsy fartsy version for those who have the time to do this. there is a very quick version of the sauce, specially if meant for pasta, which i will post another time. i only make the drawn-out version when i have the time to do so. otherwise, i always use the quickie marinara cheat sauce.

trey's salacious seasonal salad

cucumber, seeded and sliced (or cubed)
carrots, cubed
potatoes, cubed
fresh apple, cubed
fresh pineapple, cubed
bacon bits, crisped
chicken, cubed
cheese, cubed
yoghurt, chilled
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large onion, minced
salt and pepper to taste

1. boil chicken meat for 15 minutes, then add potatoes and carrots. boil for another 10 minutes. this will also give you chicken stock, which you can later use by itself or in other dishes.

2. while boiling the chicken and vegetables, crisp the bacon bits until golden brown.

3. mince the garlic and onion, then stir into chilled yoghurt with salt and pepper to taste, which is to be separated from the salad until serving time. place seasoned yoghurt in the refrigerator to chill.

4. cut and core the apples and pineapples into cubes. combine both immediately, so that the acid in the pineapple juices prevent the apple from browning.

5. combine the cheese cubes, bacon bits, chicken meat, carrots, potatoes, and cucumber into the fresh apples and pineapple, mix, and then chill if you're serving it later.

6. when serving, pour chilled yoghurt over the salad.

7. enjoy.

notes:

cucumbers - i like them seeded, but not peeled. or go for seedless if you can. just wash them carefully if you want to retain their skins.

potatoes - i also like to leave the skin on. just make sure they are thoroughly washed. you can also substitute yams for a different take on the salad.

apples - i like them seeded with the skins still on. they make fantastic visuals against the green of the cucumber, the orange of the carrots, the yellow of the pineapples, and the brown of the potatoes.

of course, this is a basic recipe, and you may choose to alter it to suit your taste. but basically it's figure-friendly with mostly fresh and homemade ingredients, with little or no msg. you control what goes in. you can even make it totally vegetarian.

other ingredients you may choose to add or substitute:
fresh seafood, steamed (or buttered)
turkey, cubed
cauliflower
broccoli (my favorite)
roasted eggplant, cubed or sliced
cooked beans, drained
olives, pitted
fresh corn bits, steamed (or sauteed lightly in butter)
bulgur pilaf, cooked
tabasco sauce or rubbed chili flakes, for that spicy kick
citrus fruits, sliced
ginger, minced
vinaigrette (olive oil and balsamic vinegar, seasoned)
fruit dressings (olive oil and citrus juice, seasoned)
cebuano dressing (olive oil and pure tuba vinegar)
asian dressing (soy sauce, vinegar or citrus juice, sesame oil, with or without honey)

what i love about this salad is that you can make it as summery or as hearty as the seasons (and moods) change. i made my first one in the summer, so it was pretty light. i soon tried different dressings, and i discovered that each one created a different mood. the cheese choice also influence the overall taste. blue cheese, goat cheese, even your common cheddar cheese at the grocery. add spice for that middle eastern flavor, or olives for that mediterranean feel. the choices are endless.

bon appetit!

eat me

at the top of my head...

i love dark chocolate. the bittersweet kind. i've always loved them, back when everyone wanted the light brown sweet milk chocolate. dark chocolate for me all the way.

i love coconut oil, either way it's extracted. some may wrinkle their noses at its strong smell, but for me the earthy scent is very seductive. specially when it's used for massages. (grin) actually it is quite good for massages, even if it doesn't have a happy ending. while i was in manila for several months and several years ago, i remember having my massages using carica cold-pressed coconut oil, and my then suki masseusse commented that the oil i was using smelled too strong. i didn't care, because it wasn't greasy, and i ended up with really moisturized skin. so, ha! take that, joy.

i love brewed coffee, the local ones. somehow, there's nothing better than having home-brewed local barako coffee in the morning. i'm currently enjoying cafe de lipa, which i love because of its smooth taste. i have one other favorite local coffee, except that i forgot the name. but it's not really hard to find it, as it's often in stock in local groceries. all filipino, all good.

i just realized that i also love cooking. but i don't like so much to eat what i've cooked. strange. and i've got tons of recipes in my head which i've to translate into words. i think i'll write down some of them later on. at least if i forget them, i'll have my blog for reference. they're quite eclectic, some very continental, some very asian, and some just fusion.

i think i would've made a good chef.