Happy Saturday everyone!  Here is today’s menu

Breakfast: Fluffy Pancakes

Lunch: Chinese Chicken Salad

Snack: Sweet Potato Potstickers

Dinner: Vaca Frita

Dessert: Pumpkin Pie

Chinese Chicken Salad is my absolute fave salad!  It has a lot of really unique tastes blending together to create a really lovely.  I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, divided
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, divided
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1/2 head napa cabbage, thinly shredded (about 6 cups)
• 1/4 head red cabbage, shredded (about 2 cups)
• 1 large carrot, shredded (about 2 cups)
• 3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, greens included (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts
• 1 (11-ounce) can Mandarin oranges in water, drained
• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce or chili sauce
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil and brush onto chicken breasts.
3. Arrange in a baking dish and bake until juices run clear, about 13 to15 minutes.
4. Remove from oven,
5. cool completely
6. cut into 1/4-inch slices.
7. In a large bowl, combine Napa cabbage, red cabbage, carrot, scallions, water chestnuts, Mandarin orange and sliced chicken.
8. In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil, brown sugar and chili sauce.
9. Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine.

10.  Divide among bowls and top each serving with 2 teaspoons toasted almonds

Bon Apetit!

Breakfast: Strawberry Melon Salad

Lunch: Cuban Lentil Soup

Snack: Baked Sweet Potato Chips

Dinner: Buttermilk Ranch Chicken Breast

Dessert: Peanut Butter Cookies

Happy Wednesday my fellow food lovers!  Today’s feature recipe is soup!  I love soup and I enjoy soup all year round.  Here is a yummy Cuban Lentil Soup for your enjoyment!

Cuban Lentil Soup, also known as sopa de lentejas, is delicious!  One thing I really love is having a few spoonfuls and then adding lime to the soup.  It completely changes the flavor.  Being from the Caribbean, I’m used to it being hot all the time, so soup is something we enjoy year round.  I hope you like it as much as I do.

Preparation

1. Over low heat, pour the water and add the lentils in a large sauce pan.
2. Bring to a boil
3. Reduce heat to low
4. Cover and simmer for 15 mins.
5. Add vinegar, onion, garlic, beef bouillon, celery, tomatoes, potato, bay leaf, cumin, basil and oregano.
6. Stir ingredients well
7. Bring to a boil
8. Reduce the heat to medium
9. Cover and simmer for 45 mins.
10. Remove the bay leaf and discard.
11. Add salt and pepper and wine and stir well.
12. Cook an additional 5 mins.
13. The soup should be somewhat thick and not very watery, and the potatoes tender.
14. To thicken, let stand for several mins.
15. Serve on soup bowls and enjoy!

I typically enjoy the soup with a side of rice, but it’s hearty enough to enjoy by itself!

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!

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

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!

Hi Everyone!  Today we will be having Ginger Steak Salad.  It really delicious!  I absolutely love it and it’s a lot easier to make than you would think!  I hope you enjoy it.

Breakfast: Make Ahead Muffins

Lunch: Ginger Steak Salad

Snack: Graham Crackers and Fruit

Dinner: Chicken Crunch

Dessert: Oreo Cheesecake Squares

Ginger Steak Salad

Ingredients

MARINADE INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Sherry
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 teaspoons Brown Sugar
• 1 whole Rib-eye, Strip, Or Sirloin Steak
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

FOR SALAD DRESSING:

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons White Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
• 2 cloves Garlic, Finely Diced
• 1 Tablespoon Fresh Ginger, Minced
• ½ whole Jalapeno, Seeded And Diced

SALAD INGREDIENTS:

• 2 whole Green Onions
• 8 ounces Salad Greens

Preparation

1. Combine steak marinade ingredients in a Ziploc bag.
2. Mix and place steak into bag.
3. Marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
4. Combine salad dressing ingredients and slice green onion.
5. When steak is finished marinating, add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a hot skillet.
6. Cook steak about 1 1/2 minutes per side, or until medium rare.
7. Remove from skillet and keep on a plate, allowing to cool slightly.
8. Toss salad greens in 3/4 of the salad dressing.
9. Place steak on cutting board and slice thinly, then pour juices from the plate over the top.

10.  Mound tossed salad on a platter, then place sliced steak on top of salad.

11.  Pour remaining salad dressing over the top.

12.  Sprinkle green onions over the salad

We’re having guests today and I have a few meetings.  This can be the perfect recipe for a larger crowd who loves Italian food.  At the same time, it is a very easy meal that can be ready whenever you are ready.

Breakfast: Apricot – Wheat Germ Muffins

Lunch: Scallop Pasta

Snack2: Corn Fritters with Roasted Red Pepper

Dinner: Chicken Parmesan

Dessert: Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwiches

Chicken Parmesan

As previously mentioned, today’s recipe is perfect for the larger group.  Ideal when guests with kids are joining you for dinner.  You cannot go wrong with Chicken Parmesan!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients (for 10 guests):

• 10 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3 cups breadcrumbs
• 10 tablespoons olive oil
• 300 gr mozzarella
• 150 gr parmesan cheese
• 150 gr pecorino romano cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh marjoram
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
• salt & pepper to taste

For the sauce

• If you have time to make the sauce, 600 g ripe tomatoes
• If you don’t have time, then buy 2 cans (28-ounce) whole peeled tomatoes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 3/4 cup grated peeled carrots
• 1 3/4 cups onions
• 4 garlic cloves

Preparation:

1. Start with the sauce by adding the onion, garlic and parsley in the blender and chopped it all together
2. Take a saucepan and heat the olive oil, add the mix you just chopped and saute until the onions are golden for about 7 minutes.  Then add the carrots and thyme for another 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes and leave it boiling for about 1 hour.  Just remember to add the water gradually.  Don’t ever let the sauce change the red color.
4. In the meantime place the chicken breast between two sheets plastic wrap
5. With a meat mallet, pound the breasts to 1/4-inch thickness andadd the salt and pepper
6. Place the breadcrumbs on a flat plate
7. Place the flour on another flat plate
8. Whisk eggs to blend in a bowl
9. Coat both sides of chicken with flour first, then the eggs and then the breadcrumbs.
10. Preheat oven to 350 F.  In the meantime, heat 2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
11. Take a saucepan and heat olive oil
12. Add chicken breasts making sure you leave enough room between them.  Cook until they turn brownish.
13. Spread 1 cup sauce over bottom of a large baking dish
14. Arrange 1 layer of chicken over sauce. Spoon 2 cups sauce over. Cover with mozzarella, parmesan and pecorino.
15. Repeat step 14 with all the remaining chicken
16. Bake until cheeses melt and chicken is cooked for about 30 minutes.
17. Sprinkle with parsley, parmesan and marjoram when served

Buon Apettito