Happy Tuesday, everyone!  I hope you had a great evening.  Today’s recipe is Guava cake!  I love guava and cheese pastelitos from my local bakery back home in Miami.  It’s a huge Cuban treat to have with breakfast or even for a snack.  I was homesick and intrigued when I came upon this recipe and it was quite a treat!  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Breakfast: Fab Fruit Salad

Lunch: Spaghetti with Artichoke

Snack: Graham Crackers

Dinner: Ropa Vieja

Dessert: Guava Cake

Guava is a tropical fruit.  The word Guava means “pomegranate” in Latin.  Guava tastes sweet and gives off a scent less faint than a lemon rind but still pleasant. It is considered a super fruit due to it being rich in dietary fiber.  it typically grows in tropic climates (like Florida).

Apple Guava Fruit

Ingredients

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup guava pulp
• 1/2 cup guava nectar
• 3 cups cake flour
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Grease and flour one 13×9 inch pan.
3. Sift together flour, nutmeg, soda, cinnamon, and cloves.
4. In another bowl, mix together guava pulp and juice.
5. In another bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
6. Add eggs, one at a time.
7. Add flour mixture and guava mixture alternately to creamed mixture.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan.
9. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30-35 minutes.

Enjoy!

Happy Sabrosa Saturday!  Head over to twitter and post your favorite Hispanic recipes using the hashtag #sabrosasaturday.  Share and learn with an amazing community of people who love cooking just like you!

Breakfast: Cereal with Milk

Lunch: Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

Snack: Fruit and String Cheese

Dinner: Ropa Vieja

Dessert: Flan

Tonight’s Dinner is Ropa Vieja.  Meaning “old clothes” in Spanish, Ropa Vieja is a delicious meal of shredded beef.  Belos is the menu:

Ropa Vieja

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 pounds beef flank steak
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

Preparation

1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Brown the flank steak on each side, about 4 minutes per side.
3. Transfer beef to a slow cooker.
4. Pour in the beef broth and tomato sauce, then add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, cilantro, olive oil and vinegar.
5. Stir until well blended.
6. Cover, and cook on High for 4 hours, or on Low for up to 10 hours.
7. When ready to serve, shred meat and serve with tortillas or rice.

Have a wonderful Saturday and enjoy your delicious meals!

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!

Hello everyone!  Frittata is a delicious treat!  I really enjoy it and I hope you do too!  It’s a great way to sneak veggies into a meal for kids.

Breakfast: Asparagus and Sundried Tomato Frittata

Lunch: Loaded Nachos

Snack: Fruit Leather

Dinner: Chicken in Organe Sauce

Dessert: Brownies

Asaparagus and Sundired Tomato Frittata

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup organic sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cups organic asparagus, blanched and chopped
• 2 Tbsp organic Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 Tbsp organic butter
• 1/4 cup organic, 1% milk
• 6 large organic, omega-3 eggs
• 1/2 medium organic onion, diced

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. In large bowl combine beaten eggs with the milk and Parmesan.
2. Heat the butter in a medium oven-safe sauté pan, and add the onion.
3. Cook until the onion is translucent and golden.
4. Pour in the egg mixture and turn the heat down to low.
5. Stir the eggs to fully cover the bottom of the pan.
6. When the eggs begin to cook and take shape, stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and asparagus.
7. Place the sauté pan into the oven and continue to cook for 2 more minutes until the frittata is cooked around the edges and the center has puffed up.
8. Remove immediately form the oven.
9. Invert the frittata onto a large platter and serve immediately.

Enjoy your meal!

Frittata

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.

Start the week with a super easy menu. Mondays are hard for everyone. And this week is even harder because we have the kids at home for the holidays. I’ll try to recycle and re-use as many ingredients as possible.

Breakfast: Hand Held Quiche

Snack1: Matcha Shortbread

Lunch: Pear and Walnut Sandwiches

Snack2: Apple Spice Cookie Bar

Dinner: Stuffed Peppers

Dessert: No-Bake Apple Walnut Tart

Stuffed Peppers
Today’s Recipe is super easy. It will take you 20 minutes in the kitchen but then you’ll be done for the day. The best part is that you can use the risotto for your burrito tomorrow for lunch.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• Green peppers (1 per person but you might want to give the little ones half only)
• 1 lb ground beef
• 400 gr ripe tomatoes
• 2 tablespoon Sazon (if you don’t have any left, you can replace with garlic, parsley and onion)
• 1 red pepper shopped
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• For the broth, get 1 bunch of celery, 1 onion and 2 carrots
• 1 cup rice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Wash the peppers, remove the tops and seeds
2. Place the olive oil in a deep pan, add the sazon (or the chopped onion, parsley and garlic)
3. Once hot, add the meat and move it until the meat is brownish.  At that point add the tomatoes
4. Cook the mix for 3 minutes and add the rice and move it
5. Place a smaller pot with water, a whole onion, celery and carrot to boil
6. Add small amounts of the boiling water you have on the pot until the rice is ready
7. Once the rice is ready, fill the peppers with the rice and place it in the oven (375 degrees) for just 10 minutes

Fun Tip: You can get the kids to draw eyes and mouse on the peppers.  Use the tops and make use as Mexican sombreros.  For the nose, attach an olive with a tooth pin.  The kids will love it.

September ’10 – Week 4 – Saturday Lunch

What could possibly be more ubiquitous to Spanish cuisine than paella? This traditional rice stew is filled with tender meats and shellfish, made brilliantly golden by way of saffron, and is served with a fresh squeeze of lemon on the side. Paella is traditionally cooked in a paella pan, but if you don’t have one, you could easily substitute the use of a super large skillet or a shallow roaster set across two burners.

Ingredients:

2 C Olive Oil
1 Red Pepper, cut in strips
2 Chicken Breasts, cut into pieces
1/2 Rabbit, cut into pieces (if you cannot acquire Rabbit, use 2-4 dark meat Chicken Thighs)
1 lb Shrimp, cleaned
1/2 t Sweet Paprika
1 1/2 lbs Green Beans, chopped
1/2 Tomato, chopped
4 1/2 C Water
2 C Snails, fresh or frozen, cleaned (if you cannot acquire snails, omit)
1 1/4 lbs Rice
Salt and Pepper to taste
A Few Threads of Saffron
Lemons, cut into wedges

Directions:

Heat a significant amount of oil in the pan. Add the red pepper and cook until tender. Remove and set aside.

Fry the chicken and rabbit until golden brown. Add the paprika to add color to meat. Push the meat out to the edges of the pan and add the beans and tomatoes in the center. Add water until the pan is half full. Simmer for approximately 30 minutes until most of the water has evaporated. Add the red peppers, snails and shrimp and cook for 5 or 10 minutes.

Add the rice, distributing it evenly over the pan, stirring constantly. Add the rest of the water and cook for about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add saffron. Once this is done the paella should not be stirred again.

For the last few minutes increase the heat, until the bottom layer of rice starts to caramelize, (what Valencians call the socarrat.) If the rice starts to burn, remove the pan from the heat immediately.

September ’10 – Week 4 – Tuesday Lunch

When most Americans hear the word ‘tortilla’ they typically think immediately of the thin, flour-and-lard-based flatbread used in Mexican cuisine. But in Spain, a tortilla is something altogether different. For American children, this recipe is a bit like homefries and scrambled eggs layered together, so don’t be shy to offer it to the picky kids with ketchup- it doesn’t taste half bad! This recipe calls for the use of an ovenproof skillet, such as cast iron or stainless steel, so that the tortilla can easily be moved to the oven for browning, however, if you don’t have one, you can easily flip the tortilla in the pan by turning it out onto a plate and then gently sliding it back into the pan upside down.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 C Olive Oil
1 3/4 lb Low-Starch Potatoes, (such as Yukon Gold) peeled, sliced thin and salted
2 Onions, diced
5 cloves Garlic, minced
6 Eggs
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Fry the potatoes, turning gently occasionally. Try not to break them up too much. When the potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes, transfer them from the oil onto paper towels to drain.

Put onions and garlic into pan next, cooking until garlic is golden and onions are translucent, adjusting heat if necessary. Once they have finished cooking, transfer them alongside the potatoes so that they too may drain.

Drain remaining oil from the pan and wipe out with a paper towel.

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, salt and pepper to taste. Gently add in potatoes, onions and garlic, mixing gently to combine.

Re-heat skillet to med-high heat, adding in a small amount of fresh oil. Let heat before pouring in egg and potato mixture. Let cook until crisp around the edges, then turn heat down to med-low, allowing tortilla to cook until almost set at the center, 8-10 minutes.

If your skillet is oven-proof, place it under a low broiler until tortilla is set at the center and the top is golden brown and crisp. If not, turn tortilla out onto a plate by first loosening the edges with a knife, then covering the skillet with the plate and flipping everything over at once. Gently lift skillet off the plate, then slide tortilla off the plate back into the skillet to finish cooking.

Let cool before serving.

September ’10 – Week 3 – Friday Dinner/Entree

Cocido is a traditional chickpea stew from Spain. There’s a little something for everyone in this dish, and even the babies in the family can have a nourishing taste of the carrots and chickpeas mashed in some of the beautiful golden broth. For the sake of American families on the go, this recipe takes full advantage of the slow cooker, and omits a few of the much harder to find traditional ingredients, such as black pudding and pig’s trotters.

Ingredients:

9 oz Dried Chickpeas, soaked overnight
1 lb Brisket, in one piece
9 oz  Bacon, in one piece (ask butcher)
1/2 Chicken
1 Whole Garlic Bulb
2 Bay Leaves
Several Black Peppercorns, crushed
1 small Onion, studded with 2 Cloves
1 1/2 lb Cabbage, quartered
2 Carrots, cut into large pieces
2 Leeks
1 lb Small Potatoes, peeled
2 Chorizo Sausages

Directions:

Drain and rinse chick peas. Put everything in the slow cooker, arranged neatly, and cover to the top with water. Cook on high 6-8 hours. Before serving, salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on separate platters (or courses, per tradition,) meats should be sliced and served with the chickpeas, sausages (again sliced) and vegetables together, and the broth alone, sometimes with noodles.

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.