Homemade Pork and Beans

Pork and beans is not included in the list of my favourite foods. Since I was a child, I don’t remember my father or mother buying canned pork and beans. But when I got married, I learned that my hubby really loves pork and beans. So every time I go to the grocery store to buy things for the house, pork and beans is always in my list of canned goods to buy. Even my son loves pork and beans now. But as much as possible I am trying to lessen the consumption of canned and preserved foods. I know that in the long run, it isn’t good for the health of my family. And if you notice when you buy canned pork and beans, you can hardly find the pork in the can; maybe if you’re really lucky you will find three small pieces of pork or is it ground pork? (lol)

As I was browsing my old issue of Good Housekeeping magazine, I saw this home-made pork and beans recipe. It is a very easy recipe.

Ingredients:

½ kilo white beans (Great northern or navy beans)
1 tablespoon corn oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium sized onion, chopped finely
½ kilo pork belly or liempo, sliced ½” thick
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 ½ to 2 cups water
½ cup tomato catsup
¼ cup corn oil
1 ½ teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch, dispersed in 1 tablespoon water

Procedure:

Soak the beans in enough water overnight. Drain and rinse. In a saucepan, heat oil then sauté garlic and onions. Add sliced pork and cook until brown. Add soy sauce and water. Add the beans and cook covered until tender. You can also do this in a pressure cooker. Add catsup, oil, salt, and sugar. Stir carefully to prevent beans from getting mashed. Thicken sauce with dispersed cornstarch. Cook 1 minute more.

You’ll never buy canned pork and beans after trying this simple recipe. Believe me, it tastes good.

Lasang Pinoy 15: Guinataang Kalabasa (Squash with Coconut Milk)

I grew up in an animal-lover family. We had many cats and dogs as pet, and we even had chicken and pigs in our backyard. So left-over foods had no place in our refrigerator, it belonged to the tummy of our pets.

When I got married, we lived separately from our family. Even if I really want to have a pet in our house, it isn’t allowed in the place we live in. Early on in our marriage, I usually threw left-over food in the trash can. The only left-over food then that I re-create into another dish is lechon, turning it into paksiw na lechon. As I learned the science of being a true homemaker, I learned ways to create dishes using left-over foods. I observed my cousin adding fish in his hamburger recipe. So, I started using flaked fried fish in many different dishes. I mix it with ground beef or pork to make lumpiang shanghai, sweet and sour meatballs, or torta. I also use left-over fried or grilled fish in my dinengdeng or pinakbet recipe.

Instead of using crab or shrimp, I used flaked fried fish for my guinataang kalabasa recipe which is my contribution for LP 15.


Ingredients:

2 cups cubed squash
1 tbsp. crushed garlic
1 onion, chopped
2 green chillies
1 cup coconut milk
½ cup flaked fried fish (boneless)
1 tbsp. shrimp paste

Procedure:

In a pan, sauté garlic and onion, add green chillies, flaked fried fish and shrimp paste. Add the coconut milk and squash. Simmer until the squash is cooked (actually, I overcooked the squash)

Thank you Mang Mike for hosting LP 15 and for waiting for my late entry.