Baby Bunny Treats: Not for humans!

Charcoal, my baby bunny.

It's been 3 days since my last post; to me that's already unnerving. I've been cooking during those days, but have not documented them as detailed as I would want since I've been getting my hands full with a little critter.

Chocolate Espresso Cake with Cafe Latte Cream: a Happy Birthday Dad cake

A very happy cake slice.

Yesterday was my dad's birthday so I thought of making him a cake that he would really like. I asked him a few weeks back what flavor he likes to be in his cake; answers were obvious: coffee and liqueur. So I took upon myself to look for a luxurious cake (without breaking my budget) that uses coffee and liqueur; I found a few coffee cake recipes but none inspired me. Of course it was my dad's birthday and I wanted it to be special.

Coriander Seed Cookies: Sugar + Spice turned out Nice

"The manna was like coriander seed" (Numbers 11:7)

Last week I bought a bottle of whole coriander seeds thinking it would be useful just in case we'll be in the mood for vegetable biryani. They happen to be cheaper than I expected; Php 25.00 (less than $1) for a 40g bottle. I guess I was lucky to be in the grocery when they were restocking their supplies, the grocery attendant said their spices often ran out quickly.

Coriander seeds are not actual "seeds"; they are dried fruits of the coriander plant, a herb whose leaves are called cilantro or chinese parsley. Almost every part of the coriander plant is used for cooking, the roots are used mainly in Thai cooking. One might think that both the fruit/seed and leaves share the same flavor, but it does not; surprisingly, the seeds are sweet, peppery and citrus-like in taste and scent compared to its leaves (cilantro) which are soapy and rank. Because of the sweet nature of this spice, it's an interesting addition to cakes and breads.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (and Pasta): Sunday Dinner

Sizzling balls!

On the previous post, I mentioned that Sunday lunch at home is always like a thanksgiving feast. My mom puts such an effort in cooking when everyone's home that she tires herself out by the afternoon. That's the time I'll be taking over the kitchen and giving our house helpers a headache with the mess I'll be leaving behind. Hehe...

One of my favorite things to cook is pasta. I love pasta! It's so easy to make too. Just cook the pasta in boiling water, drain. Toss in extra virgin olive oil and fresh garlic and herbs, then top with parmesan cheese. Yum!

Well, I wish it was that way with the rest of the family. Since the rest of the family are hearty eaters, they demand  something heavier than just olive oil and garlic. They need meat. This Sunday, they wanted meatballs.