Mhel Ignacio, Author at Certified Foodies

Julie’s Biscuits – Baked With Love, From Malaysia to the Philippines

While walking at the grocery last weekend, at the biscuits aisle, I recognized a brand that has been there for quite some time and it was only now that I paid attention to it. I guess I was used to picking the more familiar brands in this aisle. Now that I know more about Julie’s Biscuits – the history of the brand, how they make them, the culture and the people behind the company – it’ll be pretty hard to resist grabbing packs of it to take home whenever I go grocery-shopping. 😀

Contrary to what most Filipinos know, Julie’s Biscuits is not in any way connected to the local bakeshop that bears the same name. Julie’s is a Malaysian brand that has been around since 1981, and they are available globally, in 75 countries to be exact. They have 3 factories in Malaysia where all their products come from. They don’t have factories outside Malaysia because they want to ensure the consistency and quality of their products, starting from the ingredients down to how their biscuits and cookies are made. They have been available here in the Philippines for 4 years now, and so you might already be seeing them at the grocery. Trust me, if you havenâ€™t tried any of their biscuits or cookies yet, youâ€™ve got to!

I was one of the lucky bloggers who were invited to visit Julie’s factory in Melaka, and to experience the culture and the food in Malaysia. I’ll tell you more about our whole Malaysian trip on a separate post, but you can read the highlights as you read on. 🙂

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Club Paradise Resort – A Piece of Paradise in Coron, Palawan

It started a couple of years ago when Ken and I made a pact that on our birthdays, we have to celebrate by traveling some place we’ve never been. Our 2014 birthday celebration was not as spectacular as we wanted so we vowed to make up for it in 2015. And, boy, that we did… in an island paradise in Coron, Palawan – Club Paradise Resort. 🙂

Club Paradise is under The Discovery Leisure Co. (TDLCI) We planned a 4D3N vacation in Coron, but due to unforeseen circumstances – my flight with nanay got cancelled, so we had to fly out early on our supposedly Day 2 – it was cut short by a day. Ken’s flight had no issues so he was there already. Thankfully, our stay in Coron and in Club Paradise made us forget all that happened on Day 1. They gladly made adjustments to our accommodation, and we had an absolutely amazing time. Nanay was particularly amused by the VIP treatment we got from the moment they picked us up until the time they dropped us off the airport to fly back to Manila.

We were picked up from the hotel where Ken stayed on his first day and we were taken to Club Paradise’s own private port where a speed boat is waiting to take us to Dimakya Island. The speed boat ride was exciting, and we had the whole boat to ourselves. They offered us some snacks – bottled water and a sandwich. It’s a 30-minute boat ride, I think. I can’t remember ’cause we were busy taking photos and enjoying the windy ride. 😀

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Chicken Curry with Carnation Evap : A Creamy New Tradition

Since I moved out of our home in Malabon and started living alone, I always look forward to the days when I pack up my things and go back home to spend long weekends or the holidays with my nanay and bro. It’s not only because I miss spending time with them, but also because I long for my nanay’s cooking. In the past year, I actually found a way to satisfy my craving for her cooking â€” recreating her dishes in my own little kitchen. One of my all-time favorites is her Chicken Curry, which is one of the dishes she usually serves for Noche Buena.

My nanay uses fresh coconut milk to prepare her Chicken Curry. When I tried cooking this dish (with Ken’s help), I found out that Carnation Evap actually works well too! It gives my version of nanay’s Chicken Curry a rich yet unique taste and flavor, and I also noticed that Carnation Evap made the dish even creamier. I’m sharing the recipe below for you to try it yourself and taste the difference. My nanay already had a taste of this dish (she let me cook it this year for Noche Buena!), and she gave me a thumbs up. 🙂

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Noche Buena Ideas with Alaska Crema from the Merry Cremas Festival 2015

When December comes and we all start feeling the cool breeze, I can’t help but get all giddy with excitement for Christmas. Ken and I always look forward to Noche Buena because that’s when our nanay prepares extra special dishes for the whole family to enjoy. In the past few years, nanay and Ken have made it a habit to prepare something new every Noche Buena. This is why we always look forward to the annual Alaska Merry Cremas Festival where we get to see what new dishes we can add to our Christmas feast.

This year’s Merry Cremas Festival was held at the Trinoma Activity Center. As expected, there was quite a delicious lineup of sweet and savory dishes made using Alaska Crema All-Purpose Cream. We weren’t able to taste everything, but it’s fun to see how creative you can be and how one ingredient – Alaska Crema – can be incorporated in a variety of dishes to give them that extra creamy goodness. Let’s start off with our top favorites from the 2015 Alaska Merry Cremas Festival.

KISS’ Mille Crepe Cakes

During our first round of food sampling, KISS wasn’t open yet. Good thing we came back because we would’ve missed their creamy tower of mille crepe cakes. From the endless stream of people crowding their booth, I can say that their cakes were on the top of the best-sellers at the Merry Cremas Festival. We bought a slice of their Salted Caramel Cake. They used Alaska Crema in their buttercream, so it was oh-so velvety! Since I don’t have an oven now in my condo, this is one dessert I can’t wait to recreate! 🙂

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Make Someone’s Christmas Delicious with Mondelez

It’s a few weeks before Christmas, and I haven’t done any gift shopping yet. Thankfully, I share many interests with the people I’m buying gifts for, particularly, my love for chocolate. If you’re in the same situation as I am, you’d be delighted to know that Mondelez Philippines has a lineup of goodies that you can give away as instant gifts this Christmas.

I love receiving and giving personalized gifts, and in the past years, I can no longer count with my 2 hands the number of times I’ve received and given personalized Toblerone bars as gifts for birthdays and the holidays. It’s cute, personal, and, not to mention delicious too. I especially love the Crunchy Almonds variant. 🙂

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Jollibee Peach Mango Sundae – A Sweet Twist on a Classic

Jollibee’s Peach Mango Pie is one of our long-time favorites. We enjoy it nice and warm, with the sweet flavors of the peach and mango filling oozing out of the crisp pie crust. We also love it chilled. Ken and I are even fond of dipping it in Jollibee’s vanilla sundae, and we both agreed they should start offering a Peach Mango Sundae. Guess what, our wish has been granted! 😀

When we heard about Jollibee’s new Peach Mango Sundae, we didn’t waste any time. We just had to try it. It’s as good as we imagined. The bits and pieces of the sweet and tangy peaches and mangoes on top of the creamy vanilla sundae were simply perfect together. 🙂 We also paired it with Jollibee’s Peach Mango Pie. Ang sarap! You have to try it! 🙂

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Magnum White Chocolate Almond â€ª- Let’s #CelebrateWhiteâ€¬!

Imagine this: thick white Belgian chocolate coating with bits and pieces of almond that beautifully cracks as you bite into it, revealing a rich, creamy vanilla ice cream inside. Mmmm.. mouth-watering. We’re describing the newest indulgence that we just discovered: Magnum White Chocolate Almond.

We already fell in love with all the flavors of Magnum. Ken and I can’t get enough of Magnum Almond. I was speechless on my first taste of the Magnum Gold. Our nanay’s favorite would have to be the Magnum Classic. See, there’s a Magnum flavor for everyone. 🙂

Now, white chocolate lovers would definitely revel in this newest Belgian chocolate creation from Magnum. They revealed this flavor last September 30, and if you’re like us who can’t wait to get a first taste of this indulgent Magnum White Chocolate Almond, you’ll be delighted to know that they’re taking over the malls around the metro on Sunday, October 4. #CelebrateWhite as you take a bite into this new Magnum ice cream flavor, along with your favorite Magnum ambassadors and dance to the beats of the hottest DJs in town. Follow @MagnumCelebrateWhite on Instagram to know more about this party!

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5 Quick Tips for Cooking For One

I’ve been living away from my family for over a year now. I got used to our nanay and Ken cooking our meals at home, so I had to go through a big adjustment when I decided to move out. I’m now staying in a studio condo unit that has a small kitchen with not much wiggle room. In this tiny kitchen, I surprised myself when I realized I can do a lot even with such a tight space.

As much as I hate to admit it, when I first started living solo, most days, I relied on food delivery and frozen / processed food. I realized, after a few weeks, that I need to change this because 1) it’s not healthy for me, and 2) it’s been causing a big dent on my expenses. I’ve been wanting to learn more about cooking, but I never took it seriously. I have bookmarks upon bookmarks of different recipes, and yet I’ve only tried making around 10 of them in the past 5 years. Last July, I decided I needed to do something about that, so I’ve been cooking more and enjoying the goodness of home-cooked meals ever since.

I decided to share with you some quick tips for foodies who are like me, living solo, with this desire to cook and eat good food in their own homes. And, maybe soon, Iâ€™ll start sharing my own Mhelinamnam recipes. 😀

TIP #1: Invest in quality kitchen tools.

For me, this is vital. You’ll be using your kitchen tools for a long time, so better invest in quality products. Also, look for kitchen tools that will help you come prep time and washing up afterwards.

In my opinion, a non-stick pan is crucial. It doesn’t matter what your cooking skill level is, you must own a non-stick pan. It not only beautifully cooks dishes like fish, meats, eggs (oh my goodness, eggs!) and sauces, but you also minimize your use of oil, making your meals healthier. 🙂

Thankfully, I found a non-stick pan that works on my induction stove – the newly-launched Lock & Lock Hard & Light Black & SilverÂ non-stick pan. It’s lightweight, and it promises improved resistance to scratch and corrosion with its 3-coating Dupont Teflon. You can find this in Lock & Lock boutique stores and in leading stores nationwide. Trust me, this is a lifesaver! I am #LockedInLove with it. 🙂

I can now pan-fry meats and seafood without worrying about food sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cleaning up is also easier with this non-stick pan.

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Dreaming of Becoming a Chef?

If you are not quite sure what career path to take, there are certainly many jobs you can choose from. Some require more education than others. There are many things you will need to consider when you are choosing a career. First of all, how much money will you be satisfied with earning each year? Make sure that the career you choose has the income potential you are looking for. You should also be certain to choose a career that you will enjoy doing for many years to come. Why should you become a chef like Tim Love?Here are some of the biggest reasons.

Tim Love - Chef

1. Great income potential

It is no secret that chefs make great money. While chefs do spend many hours on their feet, and the hours can be quite long, they are compensated accordingly. It is also possible for a chef’s pay to go up substantially during his or her career. You can work your way up the ranks to become an executive chef of a classy restaurant. This position pays extremely well. If you want to maximize your income, you can choose to open your own restaurant. While this will be a significant financial risk, the financial rewards can be huge if your restaurant is a success.

2. You can work in many different locations

If is common for chefs to change jobs frequently during their careers. This sometimes happens because a chef will get a better job offer somewhere else. However, chefs will often quit a job because they want a new experience. Working in the same kitchen can become boring. Chefs can find work in hotels, restaurants, resorts, cruise ships and many other places. This allows a chef to have a new adventure, while also earning a living at the same time.

Restaurant

3. Chefs are always in demand

The economy has been bad for a long time. However, professional chefs have not been affected by the economic downturn. In fact, there is more of a demand for chefs now than ever before. This is a profession that is always in demand, so if the restaurant you are working for goes out of business, you will not be out of work for very long. If you are able to prepare a wide variety of foods, there will always be someone willing to hire you. In these uncertain economic times we are living in, being a chef is one of the most stable professions out there.

Clara Ole Baby Back Ribs with Beef Steak Rice and Caesar Salad Recipe

A few weeks ago, I reached a major milestone in my life – I have successfully survived a challenging year at my new office job and living independently in my Makati condo. When I moved in here, I promised myself to cook more and not resort to food delivery. In celebration of this important milestone, Ken decided to whip up a fancy meal for the two us despite the limited kitchen space and equipment at my place. With the help of Clara Ole products, he showed me you don’t have to spend a lot to come up with a restaurant-quality dish that you can make any time, starting with these mouth-watering Barbecue Baby Back Ribs. 🙂

If you’ve been following our blog, you know we are meat lovers. It was easy to decide which dish we want him to cook for this night. He made our meal extra special by also preparing Beef Steak Rice, with Caesar salad on the side. This recipe is easy to cook and budget-friendly, but the flavors and texture are on point; smoky, sweet with that subtle tangy taste. The meat? Falls off the bone. To fully enjoy the meal, we suggest you eat the ribs with your hands so you can lick off the sauce from your fingers afterwards. 😉

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