Mommy Plannerista

Planning. Passions. Parenthood.

UNI-PAK Mackerel Pâté (and a Giveaway!)

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I’m already thinking of what to prepare for our New Year’s Eve dinner. I thought of trying to make my own DIY cheese board for the first time. So I researched about what normally goes on a cheese board aside from just cheese. I discovered that I can include a pâté. Thankfully, I got several cans of UNI-PAK Mackerel that would be very good for that.

UNI-PAK Mackerel

I know that some of you might be more familiar with other mackerel brands in the market. But, hindi basta nakasanayan the best na yan.

UNI-PAK Mackerel is a brand owned by the SLORD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, a manufacturer of canned goods that has been in the business of import, export, retail, distribution, and manufacturing since April 15, 1985. UNI-PAK Mackerel products adhere to strict quality control standards, and are manufactured using only the freshest ingredients and up-to-date processing and packing facilities. Yan ang #TatakUnipak!

I love UNI-PAK Mackarel because aside from its great taste, mackerel is packed with omega-3 fatty acids and contain high amounts of proteins, making it healthy for the whole family. Kaya basta mackerel, dapat tatak UNI-PAK!

So, let me share with you how I used UNI-PAK Mackerel to create my pâté.

UNI-PAK Mackerel Pâté

Ingredients:

1 small can UNI-PAK Mackerel
1 Tablespoon pickle relish
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper for spiciness

Directions:

Drain mackerel, remove bones and mash. Add pickle relish, mayonnaise and spices and mix.

It’s so fast and easy to make. Best of all, it’s so yummy too! Do try it out with crackers for a nice yummy snack. It will surely be a great addition to the cheese board I’m going to prepare for New Year’s eve. Siguradong #PaknaPak!

For more information about UNI-PAK Mackerel, do like the UNI-PAK Facebook page.

Giveaway!

Now, because I want to share the love this Christmas season, I’ve partnered with UNI-PAK Mackarel to give away one (1) gift pack from UNI-PAK. Yay!

This giveaway will be open from December 21 – 27, 2017. The winner will be announced before the end of the month. This giveaway is open to everyone with a valid Philippine address. UNI-PAK will be responsible for delivering the prize to the winner.

To join, simply follow the Rafflecopter instructions below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck guys!

5 Easy Potato Lunch Ideas for Busy Moms

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As a busy work-at-home mom with no household help, I rely on easy, quick yet healthy recipes that I can cook for myself and my family. Lately, I’ve been experimenting on cooking with US Potatoes (you’ve probably seen my cooking through my IG stories) and found that their products really do help make cooking a lot easier and faster.

US Potatoes are known for their maximum quality, consistency, and variety. They are carefully grown by family farms and follow strict guidelines set by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). I love cooking with these products knowing that they meet high industry standards and are so easy to cook with.

Oftentimes, I find myself struggling with juggling time for work, family and chores. I had to create a plan and a strategy so that I can do everything in my to-do list and still have time to cook a healthy meal for my family even if I’m having a hectic work week.

My 5-Day Meal Plan for Lunch (or Dinner)

Today, I’d like to share with you a 5-day meal plan for lunch (or dinner), using US Potatoes, that can help you get through a busy week.

Monday – Curried Potato Salad

Regular potato salad can get boring! Try it with curry instead. Also, you can make a big batch of this ahead of time and just store it in the ref. Then, when it’s time to eat, just get some. It’s such a time-saver. I blogged about this last week. Click here if you want to see the recipe.

Tuesday – Potato Pancakes

For your kids who love pancakes, this will be a sure hit (although it’s great for us adults too!). It just involves making pancakes the usual way. The only thing different is that you need to add a mixture of grated potatoes and onions for a healthier and more filling version.

The ingredients include 5 lbs of grated US Potatoes, 1 grated onion, 3 pcs beaten eggs, 2 ½ cups dry pancake mix, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, salt and pepper to taste. Combine the grated US Potatoes and grated onion in a colander and squeeze off excess liquid. Then, in a bowl, combine them with the eggs, pancake mix, salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a pan over medium high. Take a spoonful of the potato mixture and cook it like you would regular pancakes, for about 5 minutes on each side. That’s it!

Wednesday – Potato and Bacon Skillet

If you also love breakfast food all day, then try this yummy dish. It includes bacon, potatoes, cheese and eggs – a combination everyone is sure to love. I cooked this a couple of weeks ago. See full recipe below.

Thursday – Cheese and Potato Bacon Rounds

Need a meal that you can just pop in your mouth? Try this recipe of mine inspired by my favorite baked potato halves from a popular pizza place. This involves just baking potato slices topped with bacon, cheese and green onions.

You’ll need 5 pcs US Potatoes cut into ½ rounds, 6 slices of cooked bacon (crumbled), 1 cup grated cheddar cheese, ½ cup chopped green onions, ¼ cup melted butter and sour cream.

To make, preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Brush each side of the sliced potatoes with butter and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, turning once, until lightly brown. When done, top the potatoes with bacon, cheese and green onions, then bake again until the cheese has melted. Serve with some sour cream. Easy peasy!

Friday – Waffle Cut Potato Nachos

Who doesn’t love to snack on nachos? But it doesn’t have to be just a snack. Add beef and swap the chips with potatoes to make this a healthier and more filling version.

These recipes only take 30 minutes to an hour to make. They are also good to eat on their own. No rice necessary!

Below, let me share with you how to cook in detail the Potato and Bacon Skillet and the Waffle Cut Potato Nachos.

 

Potato Bacon Skillet

Ingredients:

4 pcs. medium size US potatoes, cut into cubes
5 slices bacon
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese, grated
1/4 cup spring onions, diced
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Cook bacon on a pan until crispy. Reserve the bacon grease. Crumble bacon and set aside.
  2. Cook the potatoes on the same pan with the bacon grease until soft. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. When the potatoes are ready, sprinkle the bacon bits and pour the eggs over.
  4. Top with the cheddar cheese and spring onions.
  5. Cover the pan and cook until the cheese has melted.
  6. Enjoy eating!

 

Waffle Cut Potato Nachos

Ingredients:

1/2 kg US Potatoes waffle cut fries
1/2 kg ground beef
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup Cheddar Cheese, grated
Pico de gallo
Salt and Pepper, to taste

For the pico de gallo:

6 pcs medium tomatoes, diced
1 pc medium onion, diced
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
1 pc lemon
1 cup sliced black olives
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

  1. Fry the waffle cut fries on a pan with a little oil. Make sure to fry with just one layer of fries to make sure they are all cooked evenly. Drain excess oil and set aside in a large bowl.
  2. Saute the ground beef on the same pan. Season with salt and pepper. When the ground beef is cooked, set aside.
  3. While still frying the potatoes and ground beef, you can start preparing the pico de gallo. Combine the diced tomatoes, onions, cilantro and olives in a bowl. Squeeze the juice of one lemon on top. Season with salt and pepper. Mix and set aside.
  4. Add the cooked ground beef on top of the cooked waffle cut fries. Add the pico de gallo. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and add a dallop of sour cream.
  5. Enjoy eating!

I really love cooking with US Potatoes. Especially with the waffle cut fries, you don’t even need to wash, peel or cut anymore. It’s all ready to cook!

For more of my recipe ideas using US Potatoes, click here. For more info about US Potatoes, visit the Potatoes USA Philippines Facebook page.

Curried Potato Salad Recipe Using US Potatoes

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A few months ago, I shared with you how much our family loves using US Potatoes in our meals. I also shared with you 5 unique kid-friendly potato baon ideas. This time around, let me share with you a potato salad recipe that we recently tried called Curried Potato Salad.

Potato salad is so yummy and so easy to make. But did you know that there are so many ways to make it? I was scouring for unique potato salad recipes and saw several ones that used curry powder. I combined a few of them and came up with my own version.

US Potatoes

For this recipe, I used US potatoes because they stand out from the competition. Some of the reasons they stand out are:

Quality

US potatoes are grown in the most ideal environment- fertile soil, ideal growing seasons and temperatures, and plentiful amounts of water. Generations of experiene by the family farms also contribute to the special care they take with their crops.

Variety

There’s a wide variety of US potatoes that you can use for all occasions, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacks. US potato types are classified as russets, reds, whites, yellows, blue/purple, fingerling and petite.

Convenience

A lot of us are busy individuals, so if we can cut down on cooking time, why not, right? US potatoes have fresh, dehydrated and frozen varieties for you to choose from. The frozen and dehydrated potato varieties can be used right out of the package- dehydrated ones by simply rehydrating it with water or milk and frozen ones which you can just toss in the fryer or bake in the oven. As a busy mom, I find cooking with them a lot faster. I can save time for family or work instead.

Availability

US Potatoes are not hard to find. You can find them in leading supermarkets nationwide such as Rustan’s, S&R, and SM.

Curried Potato Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds diced US Potatoes

4 pcs large eggs

2 cups mayonnaise

2 cups low fat, plain yogurt

1 small, onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons Mustard

3 tablespoons Curry Powder

2 pcs small Red Bell Pepper, diced

1 small pack, frozen peas, thawed

Salt and Pepper, to taste

 Directions:

  1. Boil the potatoes for a few minutes over medium heat in a large pot. Add a tablespoon of salt. Cook until potatoes are tender and drain. Set aside to cool.
  2. Boil eggs in a small pan over medium-high heat. After boiling, let it stand for a few minutes, drain and place in a bowl with cold water. When cold, peel the eggs and cut into quarters.
  3. Whisk the mayonnaise, yogurt, curry powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the potatoes, eggs, onions, and peas. Stir to combine. Chill for a few hours until ready to serve.

The combined prep and cook time is roughly only 45 minutes. This makes 10 servings.

This is such a nice twist to the usual potato salad. I think this is how I’m going to make potato salad from now on.

To learn more about US Potatoes, visit their Facebook page or their website now.

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