Potato Muffins

Ingredients:

• 175 grams floury potatoes, peeled
• 75 grams self-raising flour + for dusting
• cinnamon-butter* as topping
• 2 tbsps brown sugar
• a tsp of baking powder
• 125 grams raisins
• 4 eggs, separated

Procedure:

1. Lightly grease and flour a 12 cup muffin tin. Dice the potatoes and cook in a saucepan of boiling water for about 10 minutes or until tender. Air-dry then mashed until smooth.
2. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a mixing bowl and add the flour, sugar, baking powder, raisins and egg yolks. Stir well to mix thoroughly.
3. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are standing in peaks. Using a metal spoon, gently fold them into the potato mixture until fully incorporated.
4. Divide the mixture among the 12 prepared cups in the muffin tin.
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Then, lower the temperature at 325 degrees Fahrenheit and cook the muffins for another 7-10 minutes or until risen.
6. Remove the muffins form the tin. Spread cinnamon-butter on top.
7. Serve warm.

*To make cinnamon-butter: Blend well a softened 1/3 cup of butter with a large pinch of ground cinnamon.

Souffled Cheesy Potato Fries

Ingredients:

• 900 grams potato, cut into chunks
• 150 ml heavy cream
• 75 grams Gruyere cheese
• a good pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 egg whites
• salt and pepper
• vegetable oil, for deep frying

for garnishing:

• chopped fresh parsley
• grated cheese

Procedure:

1. Cook the potatoes in a sauce pan of lightly salted boiling water for about 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly and pat dry with absorbent kitchen paper. Set aside.
2. Mix the double cream and Gruyere cheese in a large bowl. Stir in the cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the cheese mixture until fully incorporated.
4. Add the cooked potatoes, turning to coat thoroughly in the mixture.
5. In a deep pan, heat oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Remoe the potatoes from the cheese mixture with a slotted spoon and cook them in oil, in batches if necessary, for 3-4 minutes or until golden.
6. Transfer the potatoes to a warmed serving dish and garnish with parsley and grated cheese.
7. Serve at once.

Bacon Skewers

Here's how:
In a bowl, combine a cup of cubed chicken breast fillets with a tablespoon of liquid seasoning, a teaspoon of kalamansi juice and a dash of white pepper powder. Set aside for a few minutes. Separate 1/4 kilo of bacon into strips then cut in half. Wrap a strip of bacon around each piece of chicken and 10 pcs cocoktail hotdogs. Skewer with toothpicks or thin bamboo sticks. Deep-fry. Serve at once.

Samosa Triangles

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup oil + some more for frying
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 squares firm tofu (tokwa), diced
• 1 small singkamas, diced
• 1 small carrot, diced
• 1 small sweet potato, diced
• 1/2 cup diced green beans
• 1 small can garbanzos, drained and peeled
• 4-5 tbsps curry powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pack square lumpia wrappers

Procedure:

1. In a skillet, heat the 1/4 cup oil, the saute the garlic and onion. Add firm tofu and cook until ightly browned.
2. Add the vegetables and cook for a minute. Add curry powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook until done. Set aside to cool.
3. Cut the lumpia wrapers into strips, about 2" wide. Fold into triangular pouches, then fill with the sauteed mixture. Seal the edges with a paste made by mixing flour and hot water or a beaten egg.
4. Heat the oil for frying. Fry the samosa triangles until crisp and golden. Drain in lots of paper towels on a colander.
5. Serve at once with chili sauce or vinegar spiced with onion and chili pepper.

Basil & Kesong Puti Bruschetta

Here's how:
Slice 1 French bread diagonally into 20 pieces. Place on baking trays and drizzle with olive oil. Slice 3 large tomatoes and 2 blocks of kesong puti into 20 pieces. On each slice of bread, put a slice of tomato, kesong puti and a few basil leaves. Drizzle more with olive oil. Bake in preheated 375 degrees Fahrenheit oven until crisp and golden brown. Serve at once.

Hazelnut French Toast

Here's how:
Begin with your basic French toast recipe. Whisk eggs, milk and sugar together in a large bowl. Then, make a sandwich using a stale white bread , with a thick layer of hazelnut spread in between. Soak the sandwich in the milk mixture for 20 seconds on each side. Pop into a heated skillet with a tablespoon of butter. Allow to cook undisturbed until golden brown, that's about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook the other side. serve fresh out of the pan with a sprinkling of powdered sugar or ground cinnamon.

Choco-Banana Panini

Here's how:
Slice a loaf of ciabatta bread into 1/2" thick pieces. Heat slices on the grill pan or toaster oven, using medium to high heat, for 2-4 minutes on each side or until toasted. Meanwhile, peel and slice a banana per sandwich. Then, take a slice of toasted bread, spread heavily with chocolate spread, top with slices of banana and a second piece of toast. Serve immediately while spread is still hot and gooey.