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In this episode, guest Master chef Mike Caffrey demonstrates the simple way to prepare the healthy vegetable stack.

Ever wondered how a pastry like cupcake could be turned into a healthy breakfast? Most of the time, pastries are often treated as desserts. But the chefs from the American Hospitality Academy whipped up this sumptuous delight that you could also serve as fulfilling merienda. As mouthful as its name, the golden cupcake with bacon bits has the right sweetness but the bacon bits gives it extra flavor. Here are the ingredients: 1 1/4 cup - all purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp - baking powder 1/4 tsp - iodized salt 6 tbsp - unsalted butter 2/3 cup - granulated sugar 3 pcs - egg yolks 1 tsp - vanilla extract 1/2 cup - whole milk 200 g - bacon bits 1 tsp - baking soda 1 cup - strawberry compote 1 cup - blueberry compote Procedure: 1. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. 2. Set aside. 3. In a bowl of mixer, use a paddle attachment to beat the butter on high speed until light. 4. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar. 5. Scrape the sides of the bowl. 6. Add vanilla extract. 7. Lower the speed to medium and add the egg yolks one at a time. 8. Scrape bowl after each addition. 9. Turn the mixer to its lowest setting. 10. Alternately beat in the flour mixture and the milk. 11. Remove bowl from mixer. 12. Divide batter into two bowls. 13. Fold in strawberry or blueberry compote. 14. Fold in bacon bits. 15. Fill silicon molds with three-fourths of the batter. 16. Bake in a 350ºF (120ºC) oven. 17. Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or when cupcakes springs back when lightly pressed. 18. Plate by piping butter cream icing on top of the cupcakes. 19. Sprinkle some of the bacon bits. 20. Drizzle maple syrup on top. 21. Sprinkle a bit of powdered sugar. Enjoy this recipe!

By Marjorie Gorospe INQUIRER.net If you’re having a hard time preparing a dish for your friends who have different taste for food, then I would suggest grilled chicken packets. With this recipe, you and your friends could choose from a variety of ingredients, which you could turn into this tasty meal. The ingredients: 2pcs chicken breasts 2pcs White/yellow onion 1pc Green bell pepper 1pc red bell pepper 1 can Corn kernels 2 cups Cooked Brown rice tt Salt and pepper 1 cup Soy sauce [as needed] Barbeque sauce Procedures: 1. Prepare all ingredients and set aside. 2. Prepare packets using aluminum foil and seal sides. 3. Prepare individual packets and drizzle with barbeque sauce. 4. Grill for five to seven minutes per side. Here’s a tip: Wipe oil inside the foil packets before putting in the ingredients so the rice won’t stick. Enjoy!

By Marjorie Gorospe INQUIRER.net HAVE you ever tried preparing a grilled eggplant sandwich? American Hospitality Academy chef Jan Viray shows you how. We call this one grilled eggplant with Feta cheese sandwich. That's a mouthful, but we assure you it's a healthy meal. ;-) Here are the ingredients: 2pcs Eggplant sliced 1pc canned pimiento sliced pepper 1/3 cup feta cheese tsp Lemon juice ¼ tsp dried oregano pinch red pepper 2pcs foccacia Here’s how: 1. Grill the eggplants first and then set aside. 2. Combine the pimiento, feta cheese, lemon juice, oregano and red pepper. 3. Mix until it's in spreading consistency. 3. Grill bread. 4. Spread feta mixture on grilled bread and top with feta cheese Then serve. Tip: Foccacia bread is best choice for this sandwich because it’s crunchy when grilled. But other types of bread can be used. Enjoy!

IF you’re a cheese person, you will surely love this cheesy breakfast. In this episode of What’s Cookin’? with AHA, assistant chef instructor Paul Samson demonstrates this easy to prepare French cuisine: cheese soufflé. The Oxford Companion to Food defines soufflé as a light and frothy dish, which can be savory or sweet, hot or cold. Literally, the word soufflé means puffed up. The hot soufflé traces its origin in the late 18th century. Ingredients: Melted Butter (19 g) Flour (19 g) Milk (188 ml) Pinch of salt Pinch of white pepper Pinch of cayenne Pinch of nutmeg Egg yolks (3 pcs) Cheddar cheese (75 g) Egg whites (3 pcs) For Dusting: parmesan cheese and butter I. Procedure in preparing the Bechamel sauce: 1. Spread butter into the ramekin by using a pastry brush. Note: A ramekin is a small glazed ceramic dish used for preparing and serving food such as crème brulee, moimoi or soufflé. 2. Dust the buttered ramekin with parmesan cheese. Note: Parmesan cheese is used to puff the soufflé better. It also adds flavor. 3. Cook roux to thicken béchamel sauce. 4. Melt the butter. Add equal amounts of flour. (cheese sauce on the thick side) 5. Don’t overcook roux. It should be white. 6. Add milk. 7. Wait for 2 to 3 minutes for bechamel sauce to boil to determine its consistency. 8. Add a little bit of salt. (a little bit kasi we will add cheddar cheese) 9. Add a pinch of white pepper. 10. Add pinch of nutmeg 11. Add a little bit of cayenne pepper. 12. While béchamel sauce is hot, add cheddar cheese. When the cheese is added, the béchamel sauce is now called cheese sauce. II. Procedure in preparing the Cheese sauce: 1. Melt the cheddar cheese. Stir continuously. 2. Before adding the egg yolk, make sure that the pan is not that hot. When cheese has melted completely, add the egg yolks one by one. 3. Using a mixer, whisk egg whites for 4 to 5 minutes. Fold gently. Don’t overmix. Note: Manual mixing takes about 10 to 15 minutes. 4. Combine cheese sauce and egg whites. 5. Baste ramekin with butter. Dust with flour. 6. Pour three-fourths soufflé mixture into the ramekin. 6. Garnish with parmesan cheese on top. 7. Then place the soufflé in pre-heated oven. Bake at 350 F or 175 C 8. Cook it for 8-10 minutes. Here are some tips in preparing the souffle: Make sure that the bowl is cleaned well or the cheese soufflé will not "puff up." The cream of tartar makes the soufflé puffier and whiter. The main cheese ingredient for this recipe is cheddar cheese but one can opt to use blue cheese for a tastier soufflé. Another tip: Don’t open the oven. Souffle easily deflates so it is best to serve immediately after baking.

START the day right with a good breakfast. That is what our mothers would always say. We all agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But we often ignore it. One of the reasons we skip breakfast is the lack of time. Preparing breakfast can be time-consuming for some. But there are recipes like this egg recipe that is as easy as 1-2-3. One of our favorite egg recipes is the omelet or omelette. In his book, An A-Z of Food and Drink (2002), John Ayto writes that Randle Cotgrave first described the omelette as '"haumelette" or a pancake of eggs during the 17th century. In this episode of What's Cookin'? with AHA, chef Paul Samson demonstrates the proper way of cooking the famous omelette. Here are the ingredients: Salt White pepper 5g white onion (minced) 5g green bell pepper (diced) 5g mushroom (sliced) 2 tbsp. Oil or butter 2 pcs. Whole eggs (beat then, set aside) Procedure: 1. Heat the pan. Then, add the oil. 2. Heavily whisk the eggs. 3. Season with salt and white pepper. 4. Sauté green bell pepper, onion and mushrooms. 5. Add the beaten eggs. 6. Scrape the sides of the omelette. 7. Flip the omelette. 8. Fold into half. 9. Add spring onions and parsley for garnish. Here's a tip from the chef: Make sure to scrape the sides of the omelette consistently. This will prevent the browning in the omelette.

Editor's Note: Here's our answer to the "missing egg yolk" issue. According to AHA assistant chef instructor Paul Samson, the egg yolk is optional. It is used to thicken the sauce. But in this video, he chose not to use one (although it was in the list of ingredients) since the sauce's consistency was already good. And no, the egg yolk didn't fall on the floor ;-) By Marjorie Gorospe INQUIRER.net WHAT else can you do with shrimp? Well, you can turn it into a Shrimp Carbonara. This is an easy-to-prepare meal that is good for dinner. And since Valentine's Day is just around the corner, follow these simple steps and start cooking and impress your date. Here are the ingredients: 200g angel hair pasta For the carbonara sauce: 80g bacon 10g shallot, minced 10g minced garlic ¼ cup white wine 60g shrimp ¼ cup chopped scallions 40g mushroom 125ml cream 1pc yolk salt 2T butter pepper Procedure: 1. Sweat bacon, garlic, shallots 2. Add butter and wine. 3. Add scallions and mushroom 4. Add shrimp 5. Add cream 6. Cook pasta on boiling salted water 7. Combine cooked pasta and carbonara sauce 8. Sprinkle with cheese and chili flakes

Passengers flying United Arab Emirates' Etihad Airways can now choose between European and Arabian cuisines. Part of its "inspired service," these gourmet meals are served a-la-carte or through fixed menu and kitchen menus anytime. Etihad Airways is a five-year-old airline based in Abu Dhabi. It has a recorded six million passengers in 2008. It claims to be the first carrier in the Philippines to offer fully flat beds for passengers. Since the flights from Manila to Abu Dhabi are scheduled at around 1:00 am, breakfast is now being offered to passengers. "Inspired service means that customer is at the heart of the business," says Juan Torres, Etihad Philippines country manager."What matters is the choice of the customer, when and where they want to have it." Economy passengers can choose from these meals: grilled eggplant pandesal sandwich, chicken salad pandesal sandwich, porcini custard, mixed bella olives, tomato and onion quiche, vegetable ratatouille, grilled chicken cheese and mushroom omelette and corned beef hash with garlic rice. Meanwhile, business passengers can pick from various bread choices (plain croissant, banana muffin, marble cake, Arabic breads, loaf bread), a selection of cheese, treacle waffles with caramelized banana, cereals, fine herbs omelette with tomato and watercress salad, chicken tocino with scrambled eggs, steamed rice and asparagus, scrambled eggs, beef sausage, grilled tomato and sauteed field mushrooms. The airline also offers desserts like pomegranate fruit jelly, ice cream, cream yoghurt with diced pineapple and blueberries and fresh fruits. Torres says the “inspired service” philosophy was designed two years ago and was implemented last year.

By Anna Valmero INQUIRER.net How do I love thee? Let me cook the ways. In Filipino culture, every occasion is celebrated with food. This is true for Valentine’s day when couples flock to restaurants to have candle-lit dinners coupled with fine cuisine. But instead of braving traffic and the crowd during that day, there’s a better way of scoring a date without the need to go to a posh restaurant in Makati. Try cooking dinner for two this Valentines' day. Cooking a romantic dinner will surely make your night less stressful, as you avoid the late night traffic jams. This is also one way to make a lasting impression on a Valentines' day. Besides, this 30-minute meal is easy on the budget but not in style. In this latest episode, Chef Gene Cordova and Paul Samson of the American Hospitality Academy will teach us how to prepare a three-course dinner for Valentines' day. The meal is composed of cream of mushroom soup as appetizer, breaded pork scallopini with pasta as main course and chocolate-covered strawberry as dessert. Below are the recipes for this three-course dinner that is good for two people: Appetizer: Cream of Mushroom You will need: 20 grams of butter 20 grams of onion, chopped fine 35 grams of mushrooms, chopped 15 grams of flour 200 ml of warm milk 35 ml of heavy cream, hot salt and white pepper to taste For the garnish, prepare: 10 grams of mushrooms 5 grams of butter 1. Heat the butter in heavy saucepot over moderate heat. 2. Add the onions and mushrooms. Sweat the vegetables without letting them brown. 3. Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Cook the roux for a few minutes but do not let it start to brown. Then, add warm milk to bring the soup to proper consistency. 4. Gradually beat in the stock. Bring to a boil, stirring with a whip as it thickens. 5. Simmer until vegetables are tender. 6. Skim the soup carefully. 7. Pass the soup through a food mill to puree it. 8. Pass the pureed soup through a fine china cup or through chesscloth. 9. Heat the soup again but do not let it boil. 10. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 11. When serving, add the cream. Add garnish, if desired. Main Course: Breaded Pork Scallopini with Angel Hair Pasta For this dish, prepare: 200 grams of pork loin (use chicken meat as substitute) 50 grams of bread crumbs 1 piece of egg 50 grams of all-purpose flour 1 small piece of red bell pepper 1 small piece of green bell pepper 1 small piece of yellow bell pepper 10 grams of capers, chopped 1 piece of lemon 50 grams of brocolli 150 grams of angel hair pasta 10 grams of parsley 2 cloves of garlic 125 ml of olive oil 60 grams of butter salt and pepper to taste 1. Pound pork with a mullet or using the butterfly method. 2. Do the standard breading procedure. 3. Pan fry pork until golden brown. 4. Set aside pork. 5. Cook pasta in boiling water with salt and oil. Drain excess water after cooking. Set aside. 6. Blanch broccoli. Set aside. 7. Saute pasta with olive oil, parsley and garlic. Place on the bottom of the plate. 8. Saute quickly the breaded pork with melted butter, garlic, capers and lemon juice. Put on a plate above the pasta. 9. Saute brocolli and all bell peppers. Garnish on top of the pork 10. Serve hot. Dessert: Chocolate covered strawberry Prepare the following: 200 grams of dark chocolate 50 grams of white cocolate 12 pieces of strawberry (any tropical fruit is a good substitute) 1. Melt dark chocolate using bain marie method. 2. On a separate bowl, melt white chocolate. 3. Prepare tray with wax paper. 4. Dip strawberry first in dark chocolate. 5. Let it set aside in the chiller for 5 minutes. 6. Drizzle the strawberry with white chocolate. 7. Serve chilled. Tip: In step 5 of preparing the appetizer, start boiling pasta (step 5 of main course). Then go back to preparing the appetizer. Don't forget to check the pasta every once in a while. Chef Gene said the three-course meal goes well with any white wine such as Chardonnay. Advance happy Valentine’s day everyone!

By Anna Valmero INQUIRER.net Why is duman an expensive rice delicacy? One pati equivalent to 1.8 kilogram of the very young grain of duman sells for P2,500 or $40. To know about the process of duman making and the state of this industry, we trooped to Sta. Rita, Pampanga. Pampanga provincial tourism officer Ian Mejia said the existence of the duman-making tradition dates back to pre-Hispanic Kapampangan society. He said Friar Diego Bernardo has mentioned duman in “Vocabulario de Lengua Pampanga” published in 1700. Pampanga towns such as Sitio Dalan Betiswere were believed to have been making duman, according to Pampanga provincial documents. But it is only the town of Sta. Rita that has preserved the tradition until today. I met Victor Galang. He comes from a family that is known to be among the first duman makers in Sta. Rita, according to Mejia. “Matagal na naming ikinabubuhay ang paggawa ng duman. Minana ko pa ang paraan ng paggawa nito mula sa lolo ko sa tuhod [Duman has been our family business and primary livelihood since the time of my great grandparents,” he said. According to Galang, they use the traditional process of duman-making despite the availability of modern rice harvesting equipment. Workers harvest the young grains of the "lacatan malutu" rice variety. The green color of duman comes from being harvested before maturity. The grains for making duman are harvested during the cold months of the year because the grain needs to retain the right amount of moisture for it to be made into duman. The harvested grains are processed in a shaded area called "pandulmahan." Workers then separate the young grain from the mature ones through "paspas"—they strike a bundle of rice stalks to the ground to let mature grains fall while the grains left are made into duman. The mature lacatan grains are gathered and divided between the workers at the end of the day. The young grains are eventually threshed in a hand-cranked "quisquisan" to separate the grains from the stem, which are then collected for carabao fodder. It is said that paspas and quisquisan are innovations in the process of duman making. Traditionally, workers pick the grains one by one by sight and feel, according to records of the province. The grains are then gathered and cleaned, winnowed and sifted to separate the empty husks (or sepu) from the kernels. The grains are washed and rinsed until the water is clear. It is then soaked for an hour or two in water, said Galang. Meanwhile, the wood stove called “lungo” is pre-heated together with the thick clay pot where the lacatan grains are roasted for half an hour per batch. The grains are then cooled gradually and then spread on ground mats to cool further, Galang said as he showed us the different stages of the duman production. After the grains have cooled, they are pounded in mortar, sifted and winnowed for a total of five hours. After the final pounding, the grained are polished and the whole grains are sorted from the broken. Only the whole grains are sold as duman. Mejia said the revival of the duman industry was largely due to the Duman Festival started three years ago. The duman produced in Sta. Rita reaches the tables of Southeast Asia. Bulk orders are made by balikbayans hailing from Pampanga because they miss the delicacy they grew up with. “Isang buong araw ng trabaho ang kailangan para makagawa ng duman. Ang kinikita namin halos sakto lang sa puhunan dahil sa haba ng proseso at dami ng tauhan pero ipagpapatuloy namin ang paggawa nito dito sa Sta. Rita [It takes one whole day to make duman. We just break even due to the long process and number of workers required to make duman. But we will continue to make duman here in Sta. Rita], Mejia said.