Happy Monday!  My apologies for the late post, it seems that our website disappeared over the weekend!  But, we are back and ready for business!  Today’s recipe is a slow cooker recipe.  It’s a great investment if you have errands throughout the day and will be in and out of the house.

Breakfast: Boiled Egg and Toast

Lunch: Rigatoni Filetto

Snack: Caramelized Onion and Apple Mini-Tarts

Dinner: Maple Flavored Barbecue Chicken

Dessert: Cheesecake with Lime-Poached Pears

One thing I love you about slow cookers is the fact that you can start something in the morning or early afternoon, run your errands and have a delicious dinner ready for you when you return!  Happy cooking.

Maple Flavored Chicken

Ingredients

1 c. ketchup
1/2 c. maple flavored syrup
2 tbsp. prepared mustard
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
4 boneless, skinned chicken breasts

Preparation

1. Place all ingredients in slow cooker/Crock Pot and cook on low for about 7 to 8 hours or until chicken is done.
2. Remove meat, shred and return to sauce.
3. Place on buns for sandwiches or serve over hot rice. Serves 4 to 6.

Enjoy your meal!

Thursday? Thursday! I don’t know about you, but this week flew by!  Here is our Thursday menu!

Breakfast: Yogurt and Granola

Lunch: Five Cheese Mac and Cheese

Snack: Fruit

Dinner: Oxtail Stew

Dessert: Fruit Sorbet

I think I mentioned it before, but I’m Caribbean (Dominican and Bahamian) so oxtail stew was a weekly thing at my house.  We typically had it Sundays, but why not spice up your Thursday with something different?  It’s delicious with yellow rice, beans and rice or just white rice.  A real treat for your family!  Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 12 ounces dried lima beans
• 4 pounds oxtails
• 2 large Vidalia onions, chopped
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 bunch fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
• 4 teaspoons hot paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce
• 4 tablespoons gravy master
• 6 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 4 teaspoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons salt
• Right rice, recipe follows

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, cover lima beans with water, cover with a towel and soak overnight.
2. In a large pot, add oxtails, onions, scallions, garlic, thyme, red pepper, paprika, bay leaf, hot sauce, and gravy master and marinate at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally.
3. Add enough water to just cover the oxtails and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower to a simmer, cover and cook 2 hours. Every 30 minutes for 2 hours add 2 cups of water or broth, alternating, as necessary, to keep oxtails covered with liquid.
4. At 2 hours, add the beans, tomato paste, and 2 more cups of beef broth and water, if needed. Bring to a boil then simmer uncovered 2 hours, skimming fat off top and stirring occasionally. In the last 1/2 hour of cook time, season with 2 tablespoons salt. Serve with rice.

Right Rice:

• 2 cups rice

Rinse rice 3 times to remove starch. Put rice in a medium saucepan. Fill saucepan with enough water to cover the rice by 1/2-inch or measure by placing your thumb tip on the rice and filling the pot with water until the water reaches the middle of your thumbnail. Bring rice to a simmer, cover and cook until tender and liquid is evaporated, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rice stand another 5 minutes, covered.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Have a great meal!

Happy Saturday, everyone.  It’s Sabroso Saturday so today we have a delicious Sancocho recipe that is a favorite among many Hispanic families.  It’s always a treat for me and my family.  The preparation seems scary and long, but it’s just a lot of small steps, I promise!  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Breakfast: Eggs and Homefries

Lunch: Garlic Broccoli

Snack: Trail Mix

Dinner: Dominican Snacocho

Dessert: Spiced Carrot Cake with Coconut Cream

Dominican Sancocho

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs beef with bones
• 1 lb of goat meat
• 1 lb. pork sausage (longaniza)
• 1 lb pork
• 1 1/2 lb chicken
• 2 lbs of pork ribs
• 1 lb of bones from a smoked ham
• 4 lemons cut in halves
• 1 tablespoon of mashed garlic
• 4 tablespoons of oil
• 1/2 lb of cassava cut into 1-inch thick pieces
• 1/2 lb of yam cut into 1-inch thick pieces
• 2 celery stalks
• 1/2 lb of malanga cut into 1-inch thick pieces
• 1/2 lb of potatoes cut into 1-inch thick pieces
• 3 unripe plantains, 2 cut into 1-inch thick pieces
• 2 cubes of beef stock (optional)
• 2 corn cobs cut into 2-inches long pieces (may be omitted)
• 1/2 teaspoon of powdered oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon of coriander/cilantro
• 2 teaspoons of vinegar
• 2 teaspoons of chili pepper sauce or agrio de naranja
• *10 Bollitos de harina (boiled flour rolls) (optional)

Preparation:

1. Place the beef in a pan and add the celery, coriander, oregano, garlic, vinegar, and salt.
2. Marinate for at least half an hour.
3. In an iron pot heat the oil, add the beef and stir (be careful with hot oil splattering).
4. Cover and and simmer for 10 minutes. Add a few spoons of water if the meat sticks to the pot.
5. Add the pork and let simmer for 15 minutes, adjust water when necessary.
6. Add the rest of the meat to the pot (except for the chicken) and simmer for another 15 minutes, adding tablespoons of water as needed to prevent it from burning.
7. Add the chicken and let simmer for another 10 minutes.
8. Add 1/4 gallon of water to the pot and bring to a boil.
9. Add the yam, malanga and the two plantains that you had previously cut.
10. Add the bollitos now.
11. Simmer for 15 minutes.
12. Add all remaining ingredients and adjust water when necessary.
13. Stir regularly to avoid excessive sticking.
14. Simmer until the last ingredients you added are tender.
15. Grate, or scrape with the knife the remaining plantain to make it into a pulp, add to the pot.
16. Simmer for another 10 minutes.
17. Adjust salt to taste.
18. Serve hot with white rice.

Dominican Sancocho

Happy Friday, everyone.  It’s Berry season! So a raspberry pie with vanilla ice cream is the perfect treat for a summer day.  Have you considered starting a berry garden? It’s a lovely afterschool activity to do with the kiddies to wind down from the day and you will literally get to enjoy the fruits of your labor!  Go to your local florist for startup plants.  Here is the menu!

Breakfast: Banana Crumb Muffins

Lunch: Cuban Chicken Soup

Snack: Whole Grain Toast with Nutella

Dinner: Pinapple Glazed Chicken

Dessert: Raspberry Pie

Raspberry Pie

Ingredients

• 1 quart fresh raspberries
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 8 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
• 6 tablespoons water
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie

Preparation

1. Mix together raspberries, sugar, cornstarch, minute tapioca and water
2. Mix and let sit while you make your pie crust
3. Put berries in bottom crust,
4. Put 4 – 1 tablespoon pats of butter on top.
5. Put on top crust and crimp edges.
6. Make slits in the crust to allow the steam to escape.
7. Bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 15 minutes.
8. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake for 45 minutes.

Enjoy your evening and your weekend!

I love Arroz con Pollo.  It was my comfort food at home!  It’s easy to make and this variation is just amazing!  I hope you enjoy it!

Breakfast: Honey Fruit Salad

Lunch: Simple Sesame Noodles

Snack: Grapefruit and sugar

Dinner: Arroz Con Pollo

Dessert: Mixed Berry Salad

Arroz Con Pollo

Ingredients

• 1-3/4 cups uncooked instant rice
• 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
• Garlic salt and pepper to taste
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
• 1 cup picante sauce
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preparation

1. Spread the rice in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.
2. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with garlic salt and pepper
3. place over rice.
4. In a large bowl, combine the broth, picante sauce, tomato sauce, onion and green pepper
5. pour over the chicken.
6. Cover and bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170°.
7. Sprinkle with cheeses.
8. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

There! Delicious!  I hope you and your family enjoy it!

If you don’t ever take a recipe away from this website… I beg you to try the Sirloin Steak.  You won’t believe your taste buds!  Always remember, with a good steak you don’t need to use much seasoning.  Serve with mashed potatoes or veggies or jasmine rice with cilantro in it.  It will be quite the treat!

Breakfast: Buttered Rosemary Bread

Lunch: Veggie Fried Rice

Snack: Pears

Dinner: Sirloin Steak with Garlic Butter

Dessert:  Malted Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sirloin Steak With Garlic Butter

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 pounds beef top sirloin steaks
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparations

1. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.
2. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat with garlic powder and minced garlic.
3. Set aside.
4. Sprinkle both sides of each steak with salt and pepper.
5. Grill steaks 4 to 5 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.
6. When done, transfer to warmed plates.
7. Brush tops liberally with garlic butter
8. Allow to rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!!

Happy Wednesday!  Halfway into the week, only a few days to the lovely weekend.  Today we will be having Tilapia with Scallions and Black Bean Sauce- yum!  I love Seafood I had it at least three times a week growing up so there will be quite a few fish recipes here.

Breakfast:  Maple cinnamon apple sauce

Lunch:  Meatloaf Burrito

Snack:  Kid Friendly Sushi

Dinner:  Tilapia with Scallions and Black Bean Sauce

Dessert:  Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Tilapia with Scallions and Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 Tbs. Chinese black bean garlic sauce or black bean chile sauce
• 1 Tbs. oyster sauce
• 2 tsp. lower-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp. Asian sesame oil
• 1 tsp. rice vinegar
• 1-1/2 lb. tilapia fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 cup long-grain white rice, preferably jasmine
• 1 Tbs. peanut oil
• 2 small bunches scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1 Tbs. Asian chile sauce, such as Sriracha

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, stir the black bean sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar.
2. Add the fish and stir gently to coat.
3. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes.
4. Cook the rice according to package directions and keep warm.Heat the oil in a well-seasoned wok or 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and a piece of scallion dropped in the pan sizzles vigorously.
5. Add the fish all at once, distributing it evenly around the pan.
6. Cook without stirring for 3 minutes.
7. Add the scallions and stir gently.
8. Cook, stirring occasionally and gently, until the thickest part of a piece of fish is opaque throughout (cut to check), 2 to 3 minutes more.
9. Serve with the rice, drizzled with chile sauce.

And Voila! This recipe is just mouthwatering.  From the first bite to the last you will experience bursts of flavor.  I prefer my fish served with yellow rice but steamed vegetables are also a good choice.

Hello everyone!  Here is a new thing we’re trying at KidsFunPlaza… It’s called Menu Monday!  Every Monday I will be joining hundreds of other blogs as I post the weekly dinner schedule here as well as on orgjunkie.com posting the dinner menu for the week so you can look ahead and see what you’ll be cooking.

Monday: Tuna Ceviche with Coconut Milk Coriander and Picked Red Onions

Tuesday:  Standing Rib Roast with Cognac Sauce

Wednesday: Tilapia with Scallions and Black Bean Sauce

Thursday: Apple Braised Turkey Thighs

Friday: Coriander Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Saturday: Baked Southwest Tilapia

Sunday: “La Bandera Dominican” The Dominican Flag

I hope you have a wonderful week and that you tune in daily to see what we’ll be cooking!

October ’10 – Week 1 – Tuesday Dinner

I have been known to spend a lot of money on Italian food, eating out at restaurants. Never again! Since I really learned how to cook, I’ve found it way easier to stay home and spend the same amount of money that I would have paid for my dinner alone, and make dinner enough for five people! These shells are no exception. You can feed an army with this pan of burgeoning, cheesy pasta. This recipe utilizes the leftover meatballs from last night’s dinner. (*Orange text highlights easy steps that kids can do.)

Ingredients:

1 Package Large Pasta Shells
2 Eggs, beaten
1 32 oz tub Ricotta cheese
1 lb Shredded Mozzarella
8 oz Grated Parmesan
1 lb Meatballs, crushed
1 t Dried Oregano
1 t Dried Basil
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 Jar Pasta Sauce of choice (our family’s favorite is Newman’s Own Organic in Traditional Herb.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add shells and cook until according to package directions, drain.

In a large bowl, mix eggs, ricotta, half the mozzarella, half the parmesan, crushed up meatballs, salt and pepper and herbs until well combined. Stuff cooked shells with ricotta mixture and line up in a 9×13 inch baking dish.

In a medium bowl, stir together pasta sauce and reserved mozzarella and Parmesan. Pour over stuffed shells, covering them evenly.

Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until edges are bubbly and browned.

September ’10 – Week 2 – Wednesday Dinner/Dessert

Plenty of things intimidate me in the kitchen, and I’m sure you’ll hear me talk about it often, but nothing, even cheesecake, intimidates me more than flan. This silky Spanish custard is ubiquitous throughout Latino and Hispanic cultures and is kind of like heaven- if you can get it right. I finally found a recipe that I can’t mess up, and that’s some kind of miracle! Flan is one of my husband’s favorite desserts. I add coconut when I’m making it for him.

Ingredients:

1 can each Sweetened Condensed Milk & Evaporated Milk
1 C Sugar
1 T Vanilla Extract
3 Eggs

Directions:

Cook sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly, until liquefied and golden-brown in color. Carefully pour into a 9″ round glass baking dish, tilting and turning the dish to coat the bottom and sides with the caramel syrup.

In a large bowl, beat remaining ingredients until well incorporated and smooth. Pour into baking dish on top of caramel. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake in oven at 350° for an hour. Allow to cool completely before turning out onto a platter and serving.