Project: Domesticated Goddess

***Simple Schnitzel Recipe below***

I think it's safe to say that ever since I moved to Germany, I have been more independent, less lazy and, much as I dislike admitting it, a lot more domesticated.

Where I came from, it is pretty inexpensive to go to a restaurant for meals if one feels too lazy to cook at home. I have friends back home whose diets consist mostly of McDonald's, KFC or some other restaurant. Here of course, we don't have the luxury of eating out often since it is darn costly.

In the four months that I've been here, I think I've cooked more than I have had in all the years that I lived in Asia. One gets pretty much used to it though after a while.

I make it a point to cook an Asian dish at least once every two weeks. The problem is,  Asian ingredients aren't really that cheap here. In my first month, I had a craving for the Filipino dish sinigang wherein one main ingredient is kangkong (water spinach). I went to the Asian store only to find out that they have it for 2,50 euros per 200 grams. Ack! Pretty steep but then I had little choice so I ended up buying it. Instead of throwing the stalks away as what we'd normally do in Asia, I searched in Google and found out that you can actually grow kangkong by planting the stalks.

Soon my kangkong plant will be ready for cooking!

I'm also fond of Thai cuisine since it's pretty easy to cook and yet really delicious. In most of the dishes I like, lemongrass is needed. As with what I did with the kangkong, instead of throwing away the stalks I cut off from the lemongrass, I decided to stick them in a bottle with a bit of water. After a few days, I noticed that the top part which I cut off started growing back and after a week, roots started to come out and leaves started growing.

Lemongrass stalks which I put in water.

Stalks transplanted in a pot.

Of course, I also had to learn some German recipes. One of my favorites is pork schnitzel since it is very easy to make. If paired with potato salad, it becomes an awesome hangover meal.

Homemade Pork Schnitzel and Potato Salad

My Simple Schnitzel Recipe:
schnitzel-cut meat from butcher
breading (old bread that's lying around the house which I run though the processor)
flour
egg
oil for frying
salt and pepper

Get tenderizer and pound on meat so it's not as thick. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. Dip first in flour and shake off excess. Then on to the egg to coat it. Finally, dip it into the breading. Fry. Enjoy.

Come to think of it,  I don't mind the actual cooking so much.  It's actually planning the meals we'll have every day that bugs me. I have a newfound respect for housewives. It definitely is not easy.

Real Italian Pizza

This is what real Italian pizza looks like:

Had this at Al Porto Pizzeria during a visit to Lake Garda in Italy. Thin crust with a thin layer of tomato sauce, topped with prosciutto di parma, parmigiano reggiano and rucola (rocket or arugula are the more common names). Notice how they're not scrimping on the toppings unlike most of our pizza places here.

Simple Beef Taco Recipe

"Stop, Taco time! Dun dun dun dun..." (to the tune of MC Hammer's "Can't Touch This")

My homemade taco! 

I've been craving tacos for the longest time. Instead of paying $2 for one small taco at Pancake House, I decided to make some at home. The online recipes I found were not simple enough so I came up with my version.
This recipe takes less than 15 minutes to prepare. 


Ingredients:
1/2 kilo ground beef 
2 tsps. oil
1 pack McCormick's taco seasoning (follow instructions on pack)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 small head of lettuce, shredded 
shredded/grated cheese (depends how much you want)
salt and pepper to taste
1 pack taco shells


Heat oil in medium-sized sauce pan. Add the ground beef and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the taco seasoning, salt and pepper. Simmer for another 5-7 minutes and make sure the beef is completely combined with the seasoning. Drain to get rid of any excess water. 


Scoop meat mixture into taco shell and top with lettuce, onions, tomatoes and cheese. Really easy, right?


If you decide to follow this recipe, let me know if you like it. Or, if you have a better taco recipe that I can try myself,  feel free to send me the link. 

Homemade Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Once you've tasted homemade mashed potatoes, you'd never want to eat those instant ones you buy at the supermarket. I know that some of you don't want to be bothered with all the prep, however, this recipe is really really simple.




Choose your potatoes wisely. A few tips:

• make sure the potatoes you buy are solid and firm
• it's better if you select from the potato bin rather than buy those that are pre-packed
• avoid potatoes with bruises, cracks or wrinkles

Recipe below is good for 2 servings.

Ingredients:
4 medium-sized potatoes
2 tbsps butter (approx. 3-4 small cubes)
1/2 cup milk
salt
pepper
a dash/pinch of nutmeg

Boil water in a pot enough to cover potatoes. Peel potatoes and cut them in half (quarters for big ones) so they cook faster. Throw them in boiling water and cook for 20 minutes or until tender. How do you know they're done? Stick a fork or a small knife into a potato--if it's soft, then it's done. Drain and put in a bowl.

Add butter while it's hot and roughly mash the potatoes. You may use a wire masher or even a fork like I do. Add milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mash some more until your desired smoothness. Don't forget to taste so you can adjust the amount of salt and pepper.

The nice thing with mashed potatoes is that it goes with just about anything. For a simple dinner, you can eat it with fried chicken and lettuce drizzled with olive oil and balsamico.

Insalata Caprese

I am seriously craving for this antipasto. It is a really simple salad made of freshly sliced buffalo mozzarella, basil, tomatoes and seasoned with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. We'd usually make this at home as we could buy large fresh tomatoes and the mozzarella from S&R. Unfortunately, a few months ago, the distributor stopped supplying S&R with said cheese. Now, the only other place I know of that we could get it from is Santi's which, as we all know, is not that cheap.

As this is a ridiculously simple recipe, it's important that fresh, top-quality ingredients are used.

Pinoy Food with a Twist

Last night, I attended the graduation dinner of two of my sister's nieces-in-law. It was something that I really didn't wanna attend since it would just serve as a reminder that I am getting older until I found out that it was to be at Bistro Laudico. I have heard of the accolades, praises and have seen his ice cream commercial but have never really sampled any of his creations. Because of this, and the fact that it was going to be a free meal, I decided to accept the last-minute invitation.

Dinner started around 7pm. They have a promo for P788 where you can order whatever you want from the menu. The dishes may be shared for as long as the people you are sharing it with are also availing of the promo. There were a lot of choices from appetizers, soups, salads, rice dishes (silogs), pandeninis, main course, desserts and drinks.

Most of what's on the menu are Filipino dishes but with a twist. Some of what we ordered were the Angus beef Kare-kare, Binagoongang Cripy Pata, Wagyu and Lengua Estofado, Maja Blanca Cheesecake, Banana Q tart, Suman cake, Paella Arrozcaldo and a whole lot more.

While a lot of the guests loved the food, I, on the other hand, thought it was just ok .Call me unadventurous but a lot of the Pinoy dishes I grew up eating are what I'd consider "comfort food". I want them to taste exactly how I remember them to taste when I was younger. I guess there are just some things that are better left unchanged.

For the more adventurous, I recommend that you call ahead and inquire about their eat-all-you-can promo.

Bistro Laudico is loacted on the Ground Floor of the Net Square building in Bonifacio Global City.