The recipe for memorable moments

A lot of us have been cooped up with our families at home for quite some time. Staying home doesn’t have to be boring or uneventful, instead it is a great opportunity to create new family traditions that can, hopefully, make staying home more fun and enjoyable. These new bonding moments can also help kids and adults alike relax from the pressures of work or school.

The family barbecue

Many of us miss outdoor events and road trips with family, friends, and neighbors where we enjoy time to unwind, usually with afternoon ihaw-ihaw or barbecuing while hanging out. Though we are still restricted to small events within our households, we can make outdoor barbecues in our yard or garage a monthly tradition!

Making food preparation into a social event makes barbecues fun, where the entire family can get involved and each has their own task to accomplish. Working together towards a delicious and enjoyable result brings relaxing and bonding moments through an unstructured meal time that can be a perfect way to “get out of the house.”

Make this Hawaiian Cheesedog Barbecue recipe your go-to barbecue fun dish to enjoy preparing and eating. Kids can get the skewers ready, while adults fire up the grill.

HAWAIIAN CHEESEDOG BARBECUE
PREP TIME: 5 -8 mins
COOK TIME: 12-15 mins
SERVING SIZE: 12-14pcs.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 500g CDO Idol Cheesedog, thawed and peeled
• 24-28 pcs. pineapple chunks
• 2 tbsps. cooking oil
• optional: 12-14 pcs. marshmallow squares

1. Combine together ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and paprika to make the barbecue sauce. 
2. Slice each CDO Idol Cheesedog into 4 pieces. Skewer hotdogs and pineapple chunks alternating with a barbecue stick.
3. Brush each Hawaiian cheesedog skewer with barbecue sauce. Make sure all sides are coated.
4. If using a grill pan, heat up oil. Sear Hawaiian cheesedog skewers until all sides are toasted--about 5 minutes. If using a charcoal grill, no need for oil.

Optional: You may also top each skewer with a marshmallow.

Saturday slowdown

During the weekdays, many of us are in a rush getting ready for work or school, most likely busy the whole day, and often even have their workdays run later than usual. This is true even if we are in work from home or home school set ups. Start that weekend tradition of slowing down on Saturdays.

Make merienda time an opportunity to catch up with everything that’s been going on with each other! Make it a regular schedule where everyone focuses on each other instead of social media. Talk to each other about new developments in your lives, the last movie you watched, or plan what you’ll do when you can finally go out with family and friends!

This Cheesedog Bread Rolls recipe is a great easy-to-prepare merienda that the whole family can enjoy. It is best as a casual finger food to facilitate a relaxed gathering for free flowing conversation with your loved ones.

CHEESEDOG BREAD ROLLS
PREP TIME: 5-8 mins
COOK TIME: 12-15 mins
SERVING SIZE: 10 pcs

INGREDIENTS

• 250g CDO Idol Cheesedog, thawed and peeled
• 10 pcs sandwich sliced bread, crusts removed
• 1/2 cup cream cheese spread
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. calamansi juice
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 2 pcs. eggs, beaten
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• Oil for shallow-frying

1. Submerge thawed CDO Idol Cheesedog in hot water. Let sit while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. Flatten each crust-less bread slice using a rolling pin or a clean heavy bottle.  Combine together cream cheese spread, minced garlic and calamansi juice. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside half for the dip.
3. Drain and pat dry CDO Idol Cheesedogs. Spread garlic cheese spread on each bread slice. Place 1 Idol Cheesedog on top and tightly roll.
4. Coat each bread roll with beaten egg then with panko breadcrumbs. Once all bread rolls are coated, heat up oil in a frying pan.
5. Shallow-fry bread rolls until golden brown on all sides. Make sure to turn bread rolls from time to time for even browning.
6. Once cooked, transfer to a cooling rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Serve with garlic cheese spread.

Keeping occasions special

When everyone started staying home, many who celebrated their birthdays thought that soon enough, the time would come that they could go out with their family and friends for a delayed celebration. After several months, many have given up, but it’s time to  keep those days special!

Formulate a traditional at-home celebration that takes minimal planning, something you can pull off in an instant for any occasion that calls for something special, particularly because many of us have found that these days, celebrating small victories has become a necessity.

Things you can pack together for an instant party: a chalkboard or whiteboard that you can write greetings on, shiny foil curtains in different colors for a fun backdrop, and this recipe for Cheesedog Enchiladas that is perfect for celebrations.

CHEESEDOG ENCHILADAS
PREP TIME: 8-10 mins
COOK TIME: 25-30 mins
SEVING SIZE: 6-10 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp. cooking oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 tsps. tomato paste
• 2 cups Filipino-style tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 1/4 tsp. cumin
• 500g CDO Idol Cheesedog, thawed and peeled
• 6-7pcs medium-size soft tortillas, sliced in half
• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella/quick-melting cheese, grated
• 1/3 cup corn kernels
• 2 tbsp. cilantro leaves

1. In a large pan, heat up oil. Sauté garlic and onion until soft. Add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Mix in tomato sauce, paprika, oregano and cumin. Let boil then season with salt and pepper. Add in CDO Idol Cheesedogs and cover with the sauce. Let cook for 5 minutes.                       
2. Set aside 1/2 cup of the sauce only. Spread this on the bottom a baking tray that's large enough to fit all cheesedogs in a single layer.
3. Place each CDO Idol cheesedog on a halved tortilla. Sprinkle some cheese on top, then roll tortilla over to secure filling in. Transfer to the baking tray with seam side down. Repeat for all. 
4. Preheat oven/toaster at 190 degrees Celsius. Spread remaining sauce on top of the filled tortillas. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and finally, top with corn kernels. Bake 7-10 minutes or until cheese is melted is lightly browned.
5. Once cooked, top with cilantro leaves. Serve while hot.

These little moments may be simple, but they can certainly be meaningful when you find yourself enjoying your family more. Make them last, continue them way beyond the days of community quarantine. With the sharing of food, conversation, and time, these moments become ways to foster closeness and connection – the recipe for good memories the family can savor even when we eventually revert to ‘normal’ lives.

With CDO Idol Cheesedog, times with the family become more memorable and more delicious. A cheesier, juicier CDO Idol Cheesedog makes every conversation with the family, every weekend spent together, and all the laughter shared with each other more flavorful and something to savor for generations.

CDO Idol Cheesedog is available in all leading supermarkets, groceries, and wet markets nationwide. Visit any CDO Foodstore branch near you or directly order through CDO Home Delivery, Lazada, and Shopee.

For more details, visit the CDO Idol Cheesedog microsite or follow CDO Foodsphere on Facebook and on Instagram.