At Home With MrsC

Raising a family, making a home.

Food & Recipes

Rustic Mornings

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Fact: I have this long list of establishments that I want to try outside the Alabang area. Rustic Mornings was one of them.

Fortunately, during one of the weekends that we spent in my SIL’s house over the summer (yes, I know, ang tagal na,) we had the chance to visit the restaurant. I had been seeing a lot of posts about it online, and one of my cousins also couldn’t stop raving about Rustic Mornings. I was really looking forward to breakfast that day.

Rustic Mornings
Rustic Mornings, we meet at last!

 

The restaurant is located in Marikina, and being that I am from the south, I have no idea how to get there. They do have easy to follow directions on their website (HERE!), though, so if you are planning a visit, save the page.

Rustic Mornings
The best kind of mornings are the ones spent with these two.

 

If you were to ask me to describe the place, I’d say it’s shabby chic meets eclectic. There are a lot of stuff on display, from plates and pitchers to old bottles and photographs.

Rustic Mornings
Little boy, matchy-matchy with big Lolo.

 

There is a big garden area where you can choose to dine alfresco on good weather days. Since we were there over the summer, we obviously opted to stay in the airconditioned dining room.

Rustic Mornings
It was nicer outside but much cooler indoors! (Photo belongs to my SIL.)

 

The servings at Rustic Mornings are pretty big, and actually good enough to share for those with not-so-large appetites. 

After a quick glance at the menu, I settled on a Crispy Waffle and coffee. Little MrC also ordered a waffle, plus a Meat Lovers Omelette, which we ended up sharing . The husbandry chose the Corned Beef breakfast plate. The Crispy Tawilis was highly recommended, but was unfortunately not available when we were there. 

Rustic Mornings
Crispy Waffle (PHP150) and coffee for me. I’m biased when it comes to waffles (there is only one, which is my ultimate favorite,) but this was pretty good. Bonus: Their homemade syrup was yummers!
Rustic Mornings
This Meat Lovers Omelette (PHP190) was PERFECT with the waffles.
Rustic Mornings
The Corned Beef (PHP215) was good, but it was the parsley rice it was served with that I really liked.

 

As for the in-laws, they ordered Breaded Boneless Bangus, Real Buttermilk Pancakes, and a Country Omelette. For dessert, the kiddo and his Lolo split an order of Frozen Brazo de Mercedes. I, on the other hand, had no room left for dessert!

Rustic Mornings
Clockwise from top left: Breaded Boneless Bangus (PHP180), 2pcs Real Buttermilk Pancakes (PHP140), Frozen Brazo Slice (PHP140), and Country Omelette (PHP185). (Photo belongs to my SIL.)

 

If we lived closer to Marikina, I would most likely visit Rustic Morning more often. Mga once a week LOL! Everything there is really, really good, and the place is nice. Too bad going there feels like a field trip to me!

Have you been to Rustic Mornings? What did you have there?

Recipe: Crunchy Biscoff Muffins

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Fact: I’ve been enjoying spending quiet weekend afternoons in my kitchen, baking muffins.

If I remember right, muffins were the first things I ever baked, ever. Granted they were instant muffins from a box, but at least they helped me conquer my fear of the kitchen. 

I love eating these bite-sized treats as snacks or a quick breakfasts with coffee. The boys have been enjoying having freshly baked muffins at home, too. One batch doesn’t last more than a few days in our house. 

Crunchy Biscoff Muffins
Crunchy Biscoff Muffins

 

My latest muffin experiment involved Crunchy Biscoff Spread, simply because I had a jar of the stuff that was expiring soon. I couldn’t imagine having to eat Biscoff sandwiches all day every day for a week, so I thought I’d be creative and mix some into my muffins.

The result was a nice, cinammon-y insta-breakfast with just the tiniest bit of crunch in it.

Crunchy Biscoff Muffins
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Ingredients
  1. 3/4 cup brown sugar
  2. 1 large egg
  3. 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  4. 2 tsp baking powder
  5. 1/4 tsp salt
  6. 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  7. 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  8. 3/4 cup milk
  9. 1 tsp vanilla extract
  10. 1/3 cup crunchy Biscoff spread, microwaved for a few seconds until it becomes melt-y
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line your muffin tin with the cutest paper muffin liners you have.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar and egg. Add flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix until combined.
  3. Add the vegetable oil, milk and vanilla.
  4. Pour the melt-y Biscoff into the bowl and stir to combine. Do not overmix. It's okay if your batter is lumpy, and if the Biscoff isn't completely mixed in. Swirling is a good thing.
  5. Using an ice cream scoop or a spoon, fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full with batter.
  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes (or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean,) rotating your pan half way through.
  7. Cool on a wire rack before serving.
Notes
  1. Super yummy with a cold glass of milk or a hot mug of coffee!
Adapted from Biscoff Swirl Muffins by bakerstreet.tv
Adapted from Biscoff Swirl Muffins by bakerstreet.tv
At Home With MrsC https://blissbysam.com/

If you decide to try this recipe out, let me know how it goes, alrightie? 🙂

What’s cooking this week #1

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Fact: I usually browse the internet on Sundays in search of new recipes to try in the coming week.

Trying out new dishes helps me keep my family interested in the food that I serve them. While I do have my staples like adobo, sinigang and nilaga, I also like to experiment with new dishes, and different versions of old favorites.

 

I have so many recipe links bookmarked on my computer and phone, pinned on Pinterest, and liked on Facebook and Instagram that it’s getting harder to keep track of them all. So I figured I’d start sharing them here so that it’s easier for me to find them, and so you guys also get to try any good recipes I might stumble upon.

For this week’s meal plan, I’ve chosen four new dishes to try. Three are from my blogger friends, and one is from my favorite, Yummy Magazine. 

This first one isn’t actually new to me – Momma ‘N Manila’s Homemade Beef Tapa. I’ve tried this recipe by Michelle before, and the boys and I super loved it. The nice thing about this recipe is that you can marinate and freeze it, making it a great baon option.

Beef Tapa
Image borrowed from mommanmanila.com

 

I didn’t make adobo last week, so I plan on cooking some this week. I saw a post on Peachy’s Instagram page of Adobong Manok sa Gata. This is something I’ve always wanted to try making, but I was never able to find a recipe that looked good to me. The Peach Kitchen’s version looks good, so I’m trying that.

Adobong Manok sa Gata
Image borrowed from thepeachkitchen.com

 

I prepare chicken several times a week because we like chicken, it’s inexpensive, and you can do so much with it. I’ve been meaning to try Joey’s Lemon Butter Chicken from her 80 Breakfasts blog, and I think this is the best time to do it. I’ve been looking for a nice recipe involving lemons since I have a nice big bag of gorgeous yellow fruit from the last Mothers Who Brunch event, so there.

Lemon Butter Chicken
Image borrowed from 80breakfasts.com

 

The last recipe on my must-try list for the week is Yummy’s Beef Pares. MrC loves pares, and I don’t think that we have any here in the south. I remember going out for pares a few times with friends during the short time that I was living in QC, and I haven’t had the stuff since. I’m already looking forward to it.

Beef Pares
Image borrowed from yummy.ph

 

That’s it, pancit!

Have you guys tried any good recipes from the internet lately? I’d love it if you could share them with me so I can add them to my growing list of dishes to try! 

Recipe: White Adobo

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Fact: Meal planning ain’t easy!

Call me spoiled, but I’m not the type who can eat the same food three meals straight. I know some people cook a big batch of something, then that will be lunch and dinner today, and lunch again tomorrow. That just won’t work for me. It’s a good thing that I’m the one in charge of food at home.

I really make an effort to plan our meals out at the start of the week because it makes life so much easier. I know what I need to get when I visit the supermarket, and I am able to make the most out of whatever space I have in our small refrigerator and freezer.

White Adobo
Adobo, but not the usual.

Because I like variety in my meals, I make sure that I have small portions of food ready in the fridge in case my plan for lunch and dinner doesn’t work out. Like today. Adobo saved me again today. I was going to cook something new but I wasn’t able to thaw the meat in time. So leftover adobo it was.

I like adobo because it doesn’t spoil easily, and it actually gets better the longer it stays in the fridge. It’s great for last minute lunchbox packing, too, on mornings when I don’t wake up early enough to cook.

I already shared my chicken adobo recipe before, which has quickly become a family favorite. Last night, I decided to change things up a bit with a version that doesn’t call for soy sauce based on an Adobong Puti recipe by Nancy Reyes-Lumen that I found in The Adobo Book.

White Adobo
Adobo, but not the usual.
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Ingredients
  1. 500g pork adobo cut
  2. 250g pork cubes
  3. 1 cup white vinegar
  4. 2.5 cups water
  5. 3 tsp rock salt
  6. 1 tbsp whole peppercorns
  7. 1 head of garlic, split into cloves and crushed with the skin on
  8. 4 bay leaves
  9. 4 tsp brown sugar
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and continue to simmer, covered.
  2. Cook until pork is tender, about 45 minutes to an hour, and the smell of the vinegar has mellowed.
Notes
  1. Best served the next day. Have extra rice ready!
Adapted from Adobong Puti na Pata by Nancy Reyes-Lumen
Adapted from Adobong Puti na Pata by Nancy Reyes-Lumen
At Home With MrsC https://blissbysam.com/

It was interesting. It tasted like regular adobo but not quite. I like the simplicity of this version, and I think that it’s a nice change to the soy sauce-flavored kind without veering too far away from the adobo that we know and love.

We’ve had this twice now, and it does taste better the following day like the recipe promises. Give the dish a try and tell me what you think!

#MuncheriaMNL at the BF Saturday Market

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I haven’t opened my blog’s back end in over a month! Wahhhhhh! Anyway, hello, I am finally posting something.

Fact: There are so many things to see and do in BF!

I’ve lived close to BF all my life, but I don’t think that I’ve really explored this place enough until now.

BF Saturday Market
You guys know I don’t like crowds, so obviously we went to the market during non-peak hours. So serene! 🙂

 

Last weekend the boys and I visited the BF Saturday Market to show our support to my cousin, Dani, and (of course) to indulge in the yummy things that her latest venture, Mucheria MNL, had to offer. This cousin of mine was born to a mother who cooks well, so I already knew that the food on their menu would be excellent.

Muncheria MNL is a partnership between Dani and her good friend, Michi, and together these ladies aim to serve good quality comfort food to people who love to eat. Like me. And eat was exactly what we all did.

BF Saturday Market
So many yummy choices! It took this guy a while before he finally decided on his sandwich.

 

I let Dani choose a sandwich for me, then left to explore the other stalls while she prepared. We came close to closing time, so some of the vendors were already packing up. I missed the seafood, which was a shame, but at least I know I have something to come back for.

I bought some fruits while waiting for my food, and oh my gulay they were all so nice and sweet. Especially the atis! I’ve already decided to come back for more next weekend. I think I want to get some cauliflower and broccoli, too, coz those looked good.

 

Happy haul from today’s @thebfsaturdaymarket 😁 #freshfruitsinseason #philippinemango #atis #avocado

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on

 

MrC, on the other hand, grabbed some nachos as an appetizer. It was nearly gone by the time I got to him, so no photo. I caught up with the kiddo at the Muncheria MNL stall, and he had apparently already been munching on these yummy maple glazed bacon donuts while I was away. I took some home and had them the next day at home.

They are great paired with Boom’s Cold Brew Coffee! Boom is MrC’s college friend, and it’s nice that we are able to try his products and, of course, support his business, too. I’m glad I finally got to try this! They ran out during the last Block Party, and I was sad that I didn’t get to have any.

 

If you wanna go check them out, now is the time! In case you can’t decide on what to eat, I recommend everything that we had.

BF Saturday Market
For me: Beef Tongue Sammich (PHP 250)

 

Mine was the Beef Tongue Sammich – Tender and juicy beef tongue sandwich on freshly baked ciabatta bread with a thick gravy, kesong puti, and slices of onions. So good. I was glad that Dani picked this sandwich for me to try because it is literally a combination of a few of my favorite things.

BF Saturday Market
For the kiddo: Porchetta Sandwich (PHP 200)

 

Little MrC had the Porchetta Sandwich – Classic Tuscan-style roasted pork loin and belly served on freshly baked ciabatta bread with salsa verde. As much as I loved my food, this is the one that I’m gonna be coming back for. The pork was tender and juicy, with super crispy skin. You get just the right amount of grease on your lips with every bite. So bad for you, but oh so good.

 

MrC’s food was a winner, too. He ordered the Pulled Brisket – Slow cooked beef brisket with pineapple onion whiskey relish and freshly baked brioche. This meat was juicy with a hint of spice, and the relish matched it perfectly! I had more than a spoonful of this, to be honest. Yes, I tried (and loved) everyone’s food!

For more homemade goodness, follow @MuncheriaMNL on Instagram.

So, shall I be seeing you at the market this Saturday? 🙂

Baon Plan (Grade 4, Week 1.5)

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Fact: I feel a little bit guilty about not being able to prepare packed lunches for MrC for almost the entire summer break. At the same time, I feel so happy and refreshed and well-rested, so I think it was worth his sacrifice. Lol. Yep, I really made the most out of the opportunity to sleep in while school was out.

The good news is that MrC’s lunchbox-less days are over. Back to school, for me, means back to packing baon for the boys. So far, we are on week 2.5 this week, and things have been smooth-sailing for me in the kitchen. Yes, there’s a half-week there because school started on a Tuesday and ended on a Thursday for us on what (technically) was week 1.

 

Back to #baon planning! What I packed for lunch, week 1.5 is up on the #blog now. Link in profile! ?

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on

 

This school year I promise to be more religious in sharing what I prepared for baon for Little and Big MrC. So I should be posting a weekly roundup every Sunday. In case you wanna follow my daily kitchen adventures, I share those on my IG.

Let’s get on with it, then. Here’s what I packed for lunch on week 1.5.

 

#backtoschool means back to packing #baon! #MrC is happy lol. ??? Today’s #lunchbox has bread and a banana for #recess, and pork loin, corn and rice for #lunch. The pork is an easy #makeahead #ulam that’s super convenient for early morning cooking. I simply sliced up the pork and let it marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Then I fried it in a little bit of olive oil. You could also freeze the meat in the marinade, to be cooked within a week. Or you may also cook it and then freeze, and it should keep for up to a month. Promise. To make the #marinade, I mixed together about 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 tbsp honey + 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp minced garlic and a dash of pepper. You can always adjust the proportions to suit your taste. ✌ #lunchforkids #schoollunch #MadeByMrsC #recipe #homecooked

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on

 

Forgot to post yesterday’s #baon yesterday, so I’m sharing it today. Packed #lunch for the little guy only because the husbandry was on sick leave. Happy to say that the kiddo loved his pork teriyaki and rice, which I made quick and easy using Kikkomam Honey & Soy Teriyaki Marinade. For extra flavor, marinate overnight in the fridge then use sesame oil when cooking. I like to wait for the sauce to get thick and sticky, and coat the meat. That’s when I know the dish is done. For #recess, I packed Monde Special Mamon, which is always a favorite in our house. Fruits and veggies nalang kulang. I really should go to the supermarket already. #baonbymrsc #baonforkids #lunchbox #lunchforkids #packedlunch #InstaFood #Instakaw #yummy

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on

 

Isn’t it so annoying when you put so much effort into packing lunch, and the kids don’t finish their food? Sigh. This happened to us yesterday. I noticed that it’s usually the case when I try preparing something new. Yesterday I thought it would be nice to try to make an old favorite in a new, healthier way. Instead of ground beef and tomato sauce I used ground chicken and diced tomatoes to make giniling for #baon. Well, that didn’t go so well. I thought the ham slices would be junky enough to act as a camouflage. Lol, guess not. This was still yummy though. MrC and I liked it. Lesson learned: Kitchen experiments are better off served at home and not in the #lunchbox. #baonbymrsc #baonforkids #lunchboxideas

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on

 

And of course, here are a couple of easy recipes that were used (and modified) for this baon plan.

  • Kiddie spaghetti – I used chicken and added carrots instead of hotdogs this time, para healthier!
  • My super benta adobo – I used pork instead of chicken because that’s what I had availble, then added hard boiled eggs for extra yummy-ness.

What have you guys been having and packing for lunch?