Ginataang mais (pronounced GEE-nah-ta-ang MA-es) is a Filipino sweet corn dessert soup.  I know this may not sound too appealing for people who haven’t tried it, but it’s one of my favorite desserts and it really brings back a lot of memories.  It’s sweet enough for kids to enjoy, yet not too sweet that you couldn’t have multiple bowls in one day.

There is one ingredient that is required for ginataang that I have never used before: sweet rice.  I found a small bag for just about $5 at the international grocery store.  I haven’t seen it at regular grocery stores.  This is the kind I bought:

(Sorry, no, the frog clip does not come with it! Haha!)

One of the interesting things to note about this dish is that it can be served warm or cold, which makes it something you can make year round.

The Basics

• 5 cups of water
• 2 cups of sweet corn (I used frozen, but you can use fresh or canned as well)
• 1 can of coconut milk
• 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup of sweet rice

The Run-down

Mix all ingredients except for corn in a pot.  Heat until boiling.  Boil for about 20 minutes, uncovered.

Reduce heat to low and add corn.  Let cook for an additional 10 minutes.  Serve hot or refrigerate to serve cold.  Enjoy!

This is a great way to make a dessert if you aren’t a great baker, like me.  It’s super easy and simple, and the great thing is that people will think you made it from scratch!

I made this cake for Easter lunch, and I had a lot of compliments.  Definitely worth a try whether for company or for a nice treat at home!

The Basics

• Chocolate frosting
• Fresh ripe strawberries – washed and sliced thin
• Whipped cream – I used 1 tub of Cool Whip.
• Angel food cake – Store bought; found in the bakery section.
• Sliced almonds – crushed

The Rundown

1. Cut the cake into thirds horizontally.  Using a serrated knife helps in the cutting process.
2. Add a thin layer of whipped cream to top of the of the cake.
3. Add a layer of strawberries.
4. Add another thin layer of whipped cream on top of the strawberries.
5. Add a layer of cake.
6. Repeat steps 2-5 finishing with the top layer of cake.
7. Frost the cake with the chocolate frosting.
8. Garnish with strawberries and crushed almonds.  Enjoy!

Turons were a staple of my childhood.  They are crispy Filipino sliced plantains wrapped in an egg roll (lumpia) wrapper with caramelized bits of sugar. What’s not to like? Drool…

I have many childhood memories of trying to eat a turon (pronounced “two-roan”) fresh from the deep fryer, which result in almost burning myself.  Now that I’m older, I’ve found that I still don’t have enough restraint!

The Basics

• Over-ripened plantains
• Egg roll wrappers – I prefer lumpia wrappers, which is a Filipino type of egg roll wrapper.
• Sugar
• Sliced jack fruit – optional
• Deep frying oil

The Rundown

Sliced over-ripened plantains in half then length-wise.  Over-ripened plantains look blackened, but trust me – they are still good to eat.

Carefully peel off a lumpia wrapper.  Place a slice or two slices of plantains in the center.  Sprinkle sugar on each side and use a spoon to slightly mash sugar into the plantain.  Add a slice of jack fruit if you have any.

Tuck in the side and roll up.  Wet the end with a dab a water to make it stick to the wrapper.  Continue until all turons are made.

Heat oil until hot.  You can test out the oil by ripping extra piece of lumpia wrapper and tossing it into the oil.  If the oil is hot enough it should immediately bubble.  If it browns too quickly, let oil cool.

Brown each turon until golden brown, which should be able 3-4 minutes on each side.  The sugar on the inside will seep out and will caramelize on the outside.

Some people like to cool fried foods on paper towels, but since this has caramelize sugar, you run the risk of getting pieces of towel with your roan.  I used a piece of wax paper to cool mine, and it was a lot easier!

Additional Notes

Like most fried things, this won’t retain it’s crispiness for long.  Try to serve within an hour from frying or they might become soggy.

Meet Duncan Hines Devil’s Food Cupcake with chocolate frosting.  After taking a MASSIVE bite (see picture), I actually rolled my eyes and said “Oh my god!”

Yes, it’s that good.

And the great part is that the good people at Duncan Hines have made smaller portioned cup cake mixes.  I think this was meant for 12 cup cakes, which is great if you don’t want to be responsible for consuming an entire cake.  I think it was like $1 at Food Lion.

The Basics

• 4 Eggs
• ¼ cup of water
• 1 can of evaporated milk
• 1 can of condensed bilk
• Dash of salt
• ¼ teaspoon of lemon extract
• Sugar

The Rundown

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. Beat on high setting for approx 1 minute
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Caramelize sugar in a ceramic/glass baking dish on top of the stove.
5. Place baking dish in another baking pan that has water.
6. Carefully place in oven.
7. Bake for 30 minutes and then cover with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
8. Return and cool for another 30 minutes.
9. Check with a clean toothpick.