Astig Way to Cook Pinoy-style Spaghetti

I am a proud family man. I would like to think that I am the king of the house who just sometimes (actually most of the time) gives in to what the queen says. Not to mention what our prince also wants.

Just like last Saturday, I woke up around 6:00 am with a hungry tummy. I was not able to have a good dinner because of toothache that’s why my intestines, both small and large, become a bit rowdy that morning.

Since my molars and canines seem okay already, I woke up my wife and asked if she could prepare breakfast. She just smiled at me and winked her left eye. That’s her gesture when she likes to say, “Ikaw na lang (you do it your self)".

Good thing I am more in the mood of eating than arguing so in the next minute, I found myself inside the kitchen thinking of what to cook. I saw a brown bag on our dining table. It’s definitely the freshly baked pandesal that Yaya Annie bought.

What will I pair with my favorite bread? Well, we have some packs of Clara Ole pasta sauce and spaghetti noodles in our food shelf. Ahhh, Pinoy style spag with the Filipino bun! Allow me to call my recipe ASTIG (A Simple, Truly Irresistible and Great-tasting) Spaghetti.

Here are the ingredients:

2 packs of Clara Ole Creamy Tomato Pasta sauce (200 grams)

1/2 kg. spaghetti noodles

1/4 kg. ground beef or pork

4 pcs. regular hotdogs, diagonally sliced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 onions, chopped

1 garlic, minced

1 carrot, grated

3 tablespoons of cooking oil

1 cup of water

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup grated cheese (optional)

This is how we cook it:

a.  Cook spaghetti noodles according to package instructions.

b.  Heat onion in a wok and sauté garlic and onions

c.  Add ground beef or pork, bell pepper, carrot and a cup of water.

d.  Bring to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes.

e.  Add the packs of Clara Ole Creamy Tomato Pasta sauce

f.   Put salt and pepper to taste then let simmer for another 10 minutes

g.  Place the sliced hotdogs. Continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

h.  For more astig taste, add hot sauce or Tabasco for more spice if desired. (But this is not advisable 

     if you intend to give some to children).

i.  Cover the spaghetti noodles with the sauce and grated cheese on top (optional).

My very own ASTIG spaghetti. Next time, I'll remember to lessen the amount of water to use so my finish product will look creamier.

 Do you also have a recipe in mind using Clara Ole products? I will be glad to hear from you. Kindly comment at the end of this post and let me try that astig recipe of yours.

Who says I can’t cook

I love to cook as much as I love eating.

It’s just that I have been concentrating more on munching snacks than mashing ingredients in the kitchen lately. The result: another extra few pounds in my tummy and there are still a couple of big feasts coming (Noche Buena and Media Noche) before the year ends.

I used to cook dinner for me and my wife especially during weekdays after I come from work. I also prepare lunch during weekends. I can serve delicious adobo, mechado, kaldereta, siningang or nilaga. But things are different now--- we have a son who only eats food that are fried or something that can be cooked in less than 5 minutes. Thus, our family is in the easy-to-cook era today.

Luckily, there is now a fast, simple and flavorful solution when creating dishes. We recently discovered Clara Olé and its wide range of versatile pasta sauces. Not only that, the brand is also credited for having a diversified yet innovative product concepts and other ready-to-use products to help aid homemakers whip up that delectably perfect and savory dish for the whole family.

Many say breakfast is the most important meal of the day but hey, it’s often neglected because of everyone’s break-neck-speed lifestyle. Want a quick fix in the morning? Whip up that batter for some scrumptious pancakes that everybody loves. We tried Clara Olé Pancake Syrups which has four different flavors: Original, Maple, Cinnamon or Truly Fruity. My son loves the Original flavor and I think this photo is an enough proof how he likes his pancakes more than ever. 



My wife created a little twist with our pancakes  as she added mangoes and chocolate spread in it ala crepe. The result? Imagine how you feel when you were still in high school every time you see you crush. That’s how good it tasted like. I want to believe that my fine slicing of mangoes added more zest to this delicious breakfast treat that can also be served during meryenda. See, I can also have my hands dirty doing kitchen work from time to time.

If you don’t have time to cook (too lazy to hold on a pan, perhaps) and just feel like popping a jar or bottle of spread ready to put on top of a slice of bread,  Jams and Jellies from Clara Olé that are perfect for any and all bread recipes, or amp up your salads even further with their Vinaigrettes like Orange, Sesame, Pesto, Parmesan and Mango.

If you are a health buff who is into salads, you can try Clara Olé Dips n’ Dressings—Thousand Island, Caesar, Honey Mustard, Ranch and Asian— that are definitely perfect for those fresh and crunchy greens as part of your daily healthy food fare.

If it’s lunch, dinner or any-time-of-the-day-meals at home or the office, enjoy a classic taste of grilled meat by checking out Clara Olé Original Barbeque Marinade to satisfy that craving. Same goes for Honey Mustard, Hickory and Spicy flavors that will surely play with your senses as soon as it hits your palate. Korean food lovers can also rejoice with Clara Olé Korean Barbeque Marinade, or bring back your glorious childhood memories with the Clara Olé line of flavorful Tapa and Tocino marinades, while Inasal is perfect for that chicken char-grilled goodness. Plus, you can even add some more zing to your rice with Ora Mix Mo Specialty Fried Rice mix that turns ordinary rice to an extraordinary companion for your mouth-watering dish.

And for those who are looking for extra special pasta dish, you can either go with Italian Style, Sweet Style, Three-Cheese, or Filipino Style Clara Ole pasta sauce to liven up any meal. Or, for a more sophisticated taste around the table, Clara Olé Chunky Tomato with Three-Cheese, Chunky Tomato with Basil, Cheesy Pesto, Kung Pao and Mushroom can make every pasta dish even more sensational.

Now, who say’s I can’t cook? With Clara Ole, I can make you eat your words… along with the dishes that I’ll cook.

Want to know more about Clara Olé value offerings, visit www.claraole.com or “Like” www.Facebook.com/myclaraole or connect via Instagram @claraoleph and share your unforgettable cooking encounters and dining experiences using Clara Olé products. You can even catch exciting Clara Olé webisodes called “Pot Sessions: A Cook Without A Book” adventure series via the Facebook app: https://www.facebook.com/myclaraole/app_566691690034303.