Balsamic Vinegar Adobo

This east-meets-west fusion is credited to my mother in law for this recipe. We ran out of cider and palm vinegar and she had to use what was left in our pantry - balsamic vinegar. We have altered it a bit more to our liking.

2 lbs of chicken
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup vinegar
1 tsp freshly ground pepper (at least)
7 cloves garlic
3 hard boiled eggs
1 cup of peas
3 potatoes (medium sized)
water - adjusted to your liking

Combine first four ingredients in a bowl and marinate for an hour. Sautee crushed garlic cloves in 1 tsp of oil until very light brown. Add chicken pieces and sear. Add marinade, potatoes and egg yolk and gently simmer for 30 minutes. Add peas just before finished. You have a hearty dish that tastes better as a left over.

French Dip Sandwiches

Ingredients

* 1 (4 pound) boneless beef roast
* 1/2 cup soy sauce
* 1 beef bouillon cube
* 1 bay leaf
* 3 whole black peppercorns
* 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
* 1 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* 20 slices French bread

Directions

1. Remove and discard all visible fat from the roast. Place trimmed roast in a slow cooker.
2. In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, bouillon, bay leaf, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, and garlic powder. Pour mixture over roast, and add enough water to almost cover roast. Cover, and cook on Low heat for 10 to 12 hours, or until meat is very tender.
3. Remove meat from broth, reserving broth. Shred meat with a fork, and distribute on bread for sandwiches. Used reserved broth for dipping.

Embutido (Filipino Meatloaf)

Ingredients

* 1 pound ground chicken
* 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 3 large sweet pickles, chopped
* 1/2 onion, chopped
* 1/2 cup raisins
* 1 (4 ounce) link chorizo, finely chopped
* 1/4 cup green peas
* salt and pepper to taste
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 4 canned Vienna sausages
* 3 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
* 1/2 (8 ounce) package sharp Cheddar cheese, cut into strips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl combine the chicken, flour, pickles, onion, raisins, chorizo and peas. Mix well and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add beaten eggs and mix thoroughly.
3. Spread mixture on a piece of aluminum foil; arrange sausage, hard-cooked egg slices and cheese strips on top of mixture. Shape mixture into a cylindrical roll about 4 inches in diameter and wrap in foil.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Unwrap and slice before serving with ketchup.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

The kids love this with cellophane noodles, cucumbers, tofu and avocado. Occasionally I like to sneak in some sprouts. Carries well for my daughter's school lunch.

Ingredients

* 2 ounces rice vermicelli
* 8 rice wrappers (8.5 inch diameter)
* 8 large cooked shrimp - peeled, deveined and cut in half
* 1 1/3 tablespoons chopped fresh Thai basil
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
* 2 leaves lettuce, chopped
*
* 4 teaspoons fish sauce
* 1/4 cup water
* 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 2 tablespoons white sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic chili sauce
*
* 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
* 1 teaspoon finely chopped peanuts

Directions

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Boil rice vermicelli 3 to 5 minutes, or until al dente, and drain.
2. Fill a large bowl with warm water. Dip one wrapper into the hot water for 1 second to soften. Lay wrapper flat. In a row across the center, place 2 shrimp halves, a handful of vermicelli, basil, mint, cilantro and lettuce, leaving about 2 inches uncovered on each side. Fold uncovered sides inward, then tightly roll the wrapper, beginning at the end with the lettuce. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
3. In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce, water, lime juice, garlic, sugar and chili sauce.
4. In another small bowl, mix the hoisin sauce and peanuts.
5. Serve rolled spring rolls with the fish sauce and hoisin sauce mixtures.