Choco Cheese Bites

Bring this fun and colorful cookie to the next children’s party and watch them disappear in no time.

1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp all-purpose cream
1 can (432 g) DEL MONTE Fiesta Fruit Cocktail, drained
3 packs (137 g each) chocolate
cream-filled cookies (reserve cream filling)
3 tbsp sprinkles

1. Mix cream cheese to soften, then add all-purpose cream and and cookie filling. Mix well. Fold in DEL MONTE Fiesta Fruit Cocktail. Chill for 30 minutes.
2. Top each cookie with 1 tablespoon of mixture. Cover with another cookie to make a sandwich. Dredge sides of cookie sandwich in sprinkles.
3. Place inside the chiller and let cool for 30 minutes before serving.

Makes 36 cookie sandwiches! :D

Fruit Cocktail Bars

Try these bite-sized goodies for your next family gathering. Truly a tasty treat!

500g milk chocolate bar, cut into chunks
1 cup all-purpose cream
1 1/2 tsp instant coffee powder
1 can (432g) DEL MONTE Fiesta Fruit Cocktail, chilled and drained
4 packs (25g each) plain crackers

Procedure:

1. Using double boiler, cook chocolate until just melted. Add cream and coffee powder, stir. Set aside.

2. Arrange crackers on tray. Top each cracker with few pieces of DEL MONTE Fiesta Fruit Cocktail. Pour with melted chocolate. Chill to set. Cut into bite size pieces if desired.

Makes 12 servings.

Pochero

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped
350g beef round, cut into serving portions
1 pouch (200g)  Tomato Sauce
2 pcs. (120g) potatoes, cut into chunks
2 pcs. semi-ripe saba banana, peeled and sliced diagonally
1 pc. Chorizo de Bilbao
¼ cup cooked garbanzos
2 heads (150g) pechay Tagalog

Eggplant Sauce:
2 pcs. (100g) Eggplant
2 cloves Garlic, minced
2 tbsp Red Cane Vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Sauté onion and beef for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups water and Original Style Tomato Sauce. Cover and simmer over low heat until beef is almost tender. (If using pressure cooker, boil meat first until tender, then retain only 3/4 to 1 cup broth before adding tomato sauce).

2. Add potatoes, saba, chorizo, garbanzos and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes or until potatoes and saba are tender. Add pechay. Simmer once.

3. Eggplant Sauce: Broil eggplant until cooked. Peel and mash with garlic and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Note: For a soupy Pochero, add more broth to make 3-1/2 cups.

Makes 4 servings.

Snowballs

INGREDIENTS:

1 can (227 g) crushed pineapple well drained
250 grams marshmallow
1 packs (250 ml) All-purpose cream chilled
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp unflavored gelatin dissolved in ¼ cup water
¼ cup toasted cashew nuts coarsely chopped
paper cups

PROCEDURE:

1. Combine crushed pineapple and marshmallow. Let stand for 1 hour. Meanwhile, heat gelatine until dissolved. Set aside. Beat all-purpose cream until soft peaks form. Fold into pineapple-marshmallow mixture then fold in gelatin. Cover and chill overnight.
2. Scoop into small balls by using ice cream scoop then transfer into paper cups. Sprinkle with nuts. Chill until ready to serve.

Makes 13 servings :)

No Bake Fruity Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
⅓ cup melted butter/margarine
1 tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon

Topping:
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch, dissolved in 1/4 cup fruit cocktail syrup
1 can Fruit Cocktail, well drained (reserve syrup)

Filling:
1½ tbsp unflavored gelatin
⅓ cup fruit cocktail syrup
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pack (225 g) cream cheese, softened
½ cup all-purpose cream, chilled

PROCEDURE:

1. Crust: Combine ingredients for the crust. Mix well. Press into 9” pie plate (or removable bottom pan). Cover and freeze for 30 minutes.
2. Topping: Heat cornstarch mixture with constant stirring until it becomes thick. Add sugar and Fruit Cocktail. Remove from flame and set aside.
3. Filling: Combine gelatin and fruit cocktail syrup. Stir. Heat over low flame until it dissolves. Add sugar and vanilla then set aside. Beat cream cheese until smooth and set this aside. Beat all-purpose cream until it becomes very fluffy (soft peak) then add this to the cream cheese. Mix until well blended.
4. Slowly pour gelatin mixture into the cream mixture. Mix well. Fold in ¾ of Fruit Cocktail mixture. Pour over prepared crust. Cover and chill until set. Top with remaining Fruit Cocktail.

Makes 12-14 servings

Chocolate Truffles

Saucy Fried Crabs

INGREDIENTS:

600 g (3 pc) medium crabs
2 tbsp cornstarch
8 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp ginger strips
2 tbsp salted black beans (tausi), mashed in 2 tbsp water
200 g tomato aauce

PROCEDURE:

1. Season crabs with ¼ tsp iodized fine salt (or ¾ tsp iodized rock salt) and ¼ tsp pepper. Dredge in cornstarch. Deep-fry in ½ cup oil until cooked. Cut crabs and set aside.
2. In another pan, sauté garlic and ginger using 2 tbsp of used oil. Add tausi, tomato sauce and ¾-1 cup water. Simmer covered for 5 minutes over low heat.
3. Add crabs and simmer once.

Makes 6 servings