Are you like me who believe that the family who eats and prays together, stays together? 
No it isn’t Noche Buena yet but thankfully, my wife, Tina found time exactly a week ago to prepare a meal that Gabby and I love eating! Pasta! She made a little twist on the usual ingredients of carbonara. Instead of using the usual spaghetti or fettuccini, penne or linguini, she personally hand-picked a pack of pasta-shapes with spinach from the grocery shelf to make the dish more enticing for our kid; and unlike other version with bacon bits, she opted to incorporate Purefoods Fiesta ham. OK, I must admit; I made her used it, LOL. I like it and another brand of ham which I’ll try to feature before the holidays.
Should you be interested in trying Tina’s recipe, here are the ingredients : San Remo Vegeroni Pasta Shapes, Sabroso Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Alaska All Purpose Cream, Jolly Button Mushroom, Carnation Evaporated Milk, Gold Medal All Purpose Flour, Kraft Eden Melt-Sarap Cheese, Anchor Family Spread Butter (our favorite!), carrots, bell peppers, salt and pepper to taste and the so-called star of Noche Buena – Purefoods Fiesta Ham!
Look at those pasta!
STEPS :
1. Boil pasta to al dente; within 9 – 10 minutes; add a few drops of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a teaspoon of butter. Drain the pasta and set aside.
2. Cut the carrots and bell peppers into small cubes; do the same with the button mushrooms; set aside.
3. Slice Purefoods Fiesta Ham and cut into cubes. Fry until golden brown; set aside.
4. For the carbonara sauce : Melt 2/3 Anchor butter. Add and mix 2 – 3 tetra packs of Alaska All-Purpose Cream with 2 cans of Carnation Evaporated Milk in a sauce pan. Grate Kraft Eden Melt Sarap Cheese and add it to the mixture. Save some grated cheese for toppings. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring into a boil with constant stirring. Add remaining ingredients (mushroom, carrots, bell peppers) and simmer for 2 — 3 minutes.
5. Pour a fraction of the sauce over cooked pasta on a plate and top it with ham and grated cheese.
6. Serve with a smile and with all your heart, naks!
Actually, Tina’s secret ingredient was the fun bonding moments she had with Gabby while cooking. And my participation? I’m their food tester taster, LOL
What’s your favorite home-cooked meal ?
OPINION COUNTS…