Caribbean Seafood Soup with Dumplings and Coconut Milk

I have always been a soup type of guy (except chicken soup, only have it when I'm sick) and fish/seafood soups and chowders are my favorite. This recipe of fish soup is not really a Cuban recipe, we really don't cook with coconut milk, it is more Afro-Caribbean and Central American. Nevertheless it is great, I realy love the flavor and texture that coconut milk adds so here is my version of this soup.





Ingredients
Vegetables and Seasonings

2 Lbs of potatoes, cubed ( you can also use canned potatoes)
1 1/2 Lbs of Yucca ( if not available in your area replace with  another root vegetable)
3 to 4 sliced carrots
Celery ( I don't really like it to much so I just used 1 stick of celery finely chopped)
Pumpkin Squash, cubed
1 onion  finely chopped (red or yellow)
1/2 cup of chopped scallions
1/2 cup (or more) chopped cilantro

 Green bell pepper ( I just put a small piece, for seasoning)
1 small can of tomato sauce or paste
2- 13.5 oz cans of coconut milk
2  tbsp of Complete seasoning ( If Badia complete seasoning is not available in your area, replace with a spice mix of your choice)
2 fish Boulion cubes
2 tbsp of fish sauce (if available)
2 cups of angel hair noodles or any other type you prefer

Seafood
2 lbs of crab legs
Fish- You can actually use the fish of your preference, I used fresh tilapia. I used about 5 filets.
Seafood mix- octopus, scallops,clams, squid, shrimp etc. You can buy these individually or most grocery stores  or fish markets carry carry frozen mixed seafood bags.

Dumplings

Dumplings are really easy to make:
2 cups of all-purpose flour
2 table spoons of cooking oil
pinch of salt
Water (as needed)



Mix all ingredients and knead until the dough is smooth and it bounces back when you poke it with your finger. Tear small chunks and roll in your hand in 1 1/2 inch pieces and then flatten and set aside.

Directions
In a large stock pot bring water to a boil, add the root vegetables, except the pumpkin squash and also add dumplings. Boil until all the veggies and dumplings are tender.
On a separate pot, add a bit of cooking oil, sautee the onions, scallions, and cilantro on high for about 2 minutes. Then add the seafood mix (scallops, octopus, squid, shrimp) and sautee for a about 4 minutes, stirring often.  Add the tomato sauce or paste and all the spices and 1/2 cup of water, lower heat to medium and cook 5 to 7 minutes. Remember seafood cooks very quickly.

Once this mix is well cooked, add the whole thing to the stock pot where the root vegetables have been boiling. As you add the seafood mix, stir well and then add the two cans of coconut milk.

 Add the crab legs and angel hair noodles to the stock pot and salt to your taste. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes.




At this point you can add the pumpkin squash because it cooks very quickly.
You don't want to add it with all the other root veggies that take a substantially longer time to cook. Once the noodles are tender you are ready to enjoy this delicious soup.

Beef Curry and Cous Cous

By now you all might have noticed that I love curry, vegetable, chicken, seafood and beef curry dishes. The wonderful thing about curry dishes is that, besides the spices, there are really no rules or restrictions on what ingredients make up your curry dish. This particular one is pretty similar to the other curry recipes I have posted before, there are some slight variations, like this time I used red curry paste instead of green and I also added snow peas. Other than that the prepping is pretty much the same and all of the other ingredients as well.

Instead of making Jazmine or Basmati rice to accompany the curry, I made cuscus, just trying something new. It turned out to be pretty good.

So the ingredients again are:



1 to 2 lbs of Lean strips of beef

2 cans of sliced water chestnuts
2 cans of bamboo shoots
2  8oz cans of coconut MILK (not to be confused with coconut CREAM)
1 medium size red onion or whatever type of onion you like.
3 to 4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 medium size red or green bell pepper ( this time i used thinly sliced Cubanel Peppers)
1/2 cup of sliced green onions
2 Tbsp of fish sauce
1/4 cup of soy sauce
1,  8 oz can of sweet peas
2 cups of snow peas
Salt and pepper to your taste

The cooking instructions are the same as the Chicken Curry recipe so I'm just going to repost those.











Instructions

Slice the beef in about 1 1/2" strip or cube them, your choice.  Sprinkle curry powder generously all over the beef strips, add salt and pepper, rub the curry powder vigorously on the beef to ensure coverage of all the pieces, and a 1/4 cup of rice vinegar. You can do this the night before but if that is not possible try to at least marinate it between 30 minutes to 1 hour. Heat some peanut oil or vegetable oil in a wok or large pan. Add and stir fry until fully cooked.

Add the garlic onion, green onion, bamboo,  water chestnuts and snow peas.If you choose to also use canned sweet peas, add those at the very end before you serve. Because they come already pre-cooked, if you add them at the beginning with all the other veggies, the peas will most likely disintegrate. Mix thoroughly and lower the heat to medium and cover and cook for 10 minutes. In a separate container pour the coconut milk and a the amount of your choice of spicy curry paste, green, red or whatever type of curry paste you like. You can omit the spicy curry paste if you wish but i always add even a very small amount. You can used mild curry paste or powder. Add the fish sauce to this mix, as well as the soy sauce and stir until all the ingredients are well mix. By this time the beef should be well cooked and the vegetables also.

Slowly pour the coconut milk into the wok or large pan containing the beef, add the red bell pepper  and then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the sweet peas, stir and serve.

The cuscus I like is the  5 minute cuscus that comes in a small box. You can buy the plain cuscus or it also comes in flavors like roasted garlic and other flavors. Just follow the instructions on the box. It usually takes about 5 minutes to make.

 

Enjoy!

Home Made Veggie Burger

I have always liked veggie burgers but the ones you buy frozen at the supermarket are not cheap, so why not make your own? yes make your own, they are very easy to make and you choose the veggies you want to use and you can even season them any way you want. The best way to make them is to use fresh raw vegetable, especially those with low water content so that when you grind them in your food processor they don't get mushy and pasty.

Another reason I recommend fresh raw veggies is because if you use frozen ones when they thaw they absorb all the water.

Here is a list of the vegetables i used:

Broccoli
Cauliflower
carrots (pre-cooked and well drained)
Chickpeas (you may use canned chickpeas)*
baby corn
red bell peppers
White onions

2 egg whites and a bit of bread crumbs, white flower or cracker meal for consistency.

* If you use canned chickpeas, drain all the water put them in a bowl line with a couple of sheets of paper towel to drain as much of the water as possible.


Directions:

Put all the veggies in the food processor with the chopping blade. Once they are finely chopped, add 1/4 cup of either bread crumbs, cracker meal or flower, you can also use matzo meal and mix thoroughly. You may add salt pepper and any other seasoning you like. Proceed to add the egg whites and mix well. Make the patty shape by hand or using a mold. You can either bake these or pan fry in a bit of olive or canola oil. Serve with or without bread and enjoy a guilt free pleasure!

Want to lose a few pounds? Try this Cabbage Soup for 7 Days!

For a long time I have seen many people do those quick 7 or 10 day diets to lose a quick 10. I decided to try, and let me tell you that I have lost a pound per day so far and the soup is not bad at all, I am actually really enjoying it. I don't know how much I will enjoy it after 7 days but anyway, here it is.

Ingredients

1/2 of a head of cabbage
4 carrots
6 green onions
1 green bell pepper
As much celery as you want
2 cups of mushrooms whole or sliced
2 8 oz cans of whole or diced tomatoes (you can use fresh tomatoes as well)
2 chicken or beef bouillon cubes
1/2 teaspoon of oregano
Salt to your taste.

Remember that you will need to make sufficient soup to last you 7 days, eating twice a day, so add sufficient water, and you can also add more of the veggies. In a large stock pot bring the water to a boil and then add all the ingredients. Add the oregano salt and reduce heat to medium-high and cook until the vegetables are tender. Taste the soup and adjust the salt and spices according to your need.

Have the soup for lunch and dinner, accompany with salad or fruits except bananas. Do not eat anything else.

Even though this is diet soup it is very tasty, it can accompany any meal even if you are not on a diet.

Enjoy

Fried Chickpeas (Garbanzos Fritos)

This one of my favorite dishes because you can eat the fried chickpeas with rice or by themselves. One of the best things about this Cuban dish is that it is very easy to make. If you are using dried uncooked chickpeas, it will take  a bit longer to make because you are going to have to pull out your pressure cooker , but you can always use canned chickpeas.

Ingredients

1 Lb of chickpeas
One medium size red onion (you can use any type of onion you like)1 red, yellow or green bell pepper
about 1/2 lb of Chorizo (spanish sausage)
1/2  lb of boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/2 pound of Serrano ham (cubbed)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup of dry white cooking wine 
1 tbsp of dry oregano
1/4 cup of Mojo criollo (spanish marinade)
1 tbsp of chopped garlic
1/4 cup of chopped cilantro


Directions
 If you are using dried chickpeas, cook them in a pressure cooker on high for 30 minutes, then check to see if they are tender. If they are still hard cook for an additional 10 minutes or until tender.

Cut the chorizo in slices and set aside. You can purchase the ham already cubbed. Cut the chicken breasts in small pieces of about an inch in length. In a large sauce pan heat up some oil, you can use olive oil or whichever type you prefer. I normally cook with canola oil. Once the oil is very hot add the chorizo, the chicken and the ham. The only thing you need to make sure that cooks well is the chicken. The ham and chorizo are already cooked. As the meats cook, add the chopped onion, bell pepper, garlic and chopped cilantro and stir. Then add the tomato sauce, cooking wine, spanish marinade and dried oregano. Lower heat to medium and cook for approximately 30 minutes occasionally stirring.

Add salt to your taste. As I said before you can eat this alone but you can also eat with your favorite rice recipe. Buen Provecho!!!!

Cuban Beef Soup, White Rice with Ropa Vieja (Shreaded Beef)

Ingredients for the soup:

1 1/2 pounds of flank steak

4 medium size potatoes (whichever type you prefer)

2 to 3 malanga roots (1 to 1/2 pounds)

2 medium size green plantains

1 pound of pumpkin squash

1 pound of ñame

1 pound of Yuca (yucca root) fresh or frozen

1 medium size yellow or white onion 

1/4 cup of chopped green onions

1/4 cup of chopped cilantro

2 cloves of garlic

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup of tomato sauce

1 tsp of dried oregano

Salt and pepper to your taste

I also add a 1/4 cup of mojo criollo (spanish marinade if available in your area)

1/2 cup of angel hair noodles, you can add more if you want

1/2 a green bell pepper

This is a very traditional Cuban dinner dish. Soups are normally consumed for dinner rather than lunch. This dish consists of a very hearty soup with all the root vegetables traditional in Cuban cuisine and green plantains and pumpkin squash

To make the soup I first select a nice piece of flank stake, maybe about 1 1/2 pounds. I place it in a pressure cooker with about 4 cups of water and cook it for about 35 minutes on high. The I check if it is tender enough to shread. Once all the vegetables are pealed and cut in chunks, I place them in a stock pot, add the beef stock that resulted from cooking the flank meat and add sufficient water to cover the vegetables. Leave the beef on a plate and allow it to cool.

Boil the vegetable until they are soft. Now it is time to make the seasoning (sofrito) for the soup. Chop the onion, garlic green onions and cilantro and green pepper ( I like to leave the green pepper whole, so I can take it out when the soup is ready, I don't like to eat the green pepper but it definitely adds flavor to the soup). In a pan with about 1 tbsp of cooking oil saute these ingredients for about two minutes on high, stirring continuously, then add the 1/2 cup of tomato sauce and mojo criollo (if available), the oregano and pepper. I usually leave the salt for last and add it gradually until I feel it has enough. Simmer on medium for about four minutes and add the whole mixture to the boiling veggies. Add the angel hair noodles and lower the heat to medium  and cook until all the vegetables are tender. Serve Hot and enjoy!

Ingredients of the Ropa Vieja (Shreaded Flank Steak)
1 1/2 pounds of hand shredded flank steak
1 large red onion
1/4 cup of tomato sauce
1/2 tsp of oregano
1/2 tsp of black pepper
1/4 cup of dry white seasoned cooking wine
salt to your taste

Directions

Cut the onions in slices and saute until soft and a bit translucent, add the beef (which is already cooked) and mix well with the onions. Saute both on high, for about 3 minutes, then ad the tomato sauce, cooking wine, pepper, oregano and salt to your taste. Reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes, don't allow all the liquid to be boiled away. Serve with white rice and salad and accompany with a hearty bowl of soup.

Rosemary Roasted Chicken Breasts with Vegetables

This is an easy and quick recipe, filled with taste and the best thing a low calorie meal.

Ingredients:
3 Boneless, skinless Chicken breasts
2 tbsp of Paprika
1 1/2 tsp crushed rosemary leaves
1 tsp of minced garlic
1 tsp of coarse ground black pepper
2 1/2  tbsp olive oil (extra virgin for deep flavor)
1 tsp of salt
1 1/2 pounds of mixed vegetables (of your choice, or you can just use potatoes)

Directions:

Mix all the spices in a large bowl, add the salt and the olive oil. Mix well until all the spices and salt are well incorporated. Dip the chicken breasts in the mix and cover well. Place the chicken on a well oiled bakin pan and surround with mixed veggies (or just potatoes).

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees and bake for 30 minutes and broil for 10 minutes.

Serve and enjoy with a good wine.

Voila!

 

It's never a bad day for "Meatloaf"

 I was craving meatloaf today so I made one, but this time with a surprise inside, yes in the shape of hard boiled eggs. I used the same recipe I posted here before except that this time, I boiled 3 eggs and placed them in the center of the loaf, I came out delicious! check it out!

Tried it and Loved it!

I usually limit myself to Spanish wines, after all I think they are the best, but lately I have been venturing outside of my safety zone and to say the least it has been worth it. Just tried Coppola Rosso, and let me tel you that for the price it's a great wine. Can't say much for the white wine since I don't drink it but the Rosso is Great!

Give it a try! it retails for around $8.00  bottle.

Baked Salmon Topped with Mango Chutney

I tried this for the first time today and it came out great. While looking for a mango chutney recipe, I stumbled onto countless recipes, all different so I was a bit frustrated but i decided to then pick ingredients from different recipes and make my own version, and let me tell you that it was a success, so here it is.


Ingredients
(This serves 2)

1 mango (of about  a pound)
1 Chopped Onion (whichever type you prefer, I used a yellow onion)
1 clove of garlic minced
1 medium size red bell pepper
Some fresh or dried chopped cilantro (as much as you like)
2 Tablespoons of tomato sauce or paste
1/2 cup of white distilled vinegar
1 cup of brown sugar
1 Tbsp of mustard (or Dijon Mustard)
1/4 cup of finely chopped ginger
cayene pepper or chilli pepper to your taste.

Directions
Combine the vinegar and sugar in a pot and stir until dissolved. Bring to a boil. Add the remaining ingredients and cook on medium high for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve over pork, fish or the meat of your choice.


I served it with Salmon which I baked at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, and brown rice.

Curry Chicken, Jazmine Rice, Salad with Peanut Dressing a Great Wine and Good Company, are the Ingredients for a Great Time

 

Thai food is by far one of my favorite, so i love to cook it for my friends but always with a little bit of a Cuban touch. So last night we got together at my friend Marina's apartment and had a great meal and a great time. I made delicious chicken tenderloins in Thai curry sauce, jazmine rice and a simple garden salad with peanut dressing.


 So here are the ingredients and the instructions to make a great meal.





Curry Chicken:

About 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 cans of sliced water chestnuts
2 cans of bamboo shoots
2 8 oz cans of coconut MILK (not to be confused with coconut CREAM)
1 medium size red onion or whatever type of onion you like.
3 to 4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 medium size red bell pepper
1/2 cup of sliced green onions
2 Tbsp of fish sauce
1/4 cup of soy sauce
1 small can of tomato sauce
1,  8 oz can of sweet peas
Salt and pepper to your taste

Instructions

Slice the chicken breasts in about 1 1/2" slices or cube them, your choice.  Sprinkle curry powder generously all over the chicken, add salt and pepper, rub the curry powder vigorously on the chicken to ensure coverage of all the pieces, and a 1/4 cup of rice vinegar. You can do this the night before but if that is not possible try to at least marinate it between 30 minutes to 1 hour. Heat some peanut oil or vegetable oil in a wok or large pan. Place the chicken and turn until cooked.  Add the garlic onion, green onion, bamboo, and water chestnuts. Mix thoroughly and lower the heat to medium and cover and cook for 10 minutes. In a separate container pour the coconut milk and a the amount of your choice of spicy curry paste, green, red or whatever type of curry paste you like. You can omit the spicy curry paste if you wish but i always add even a very small amount. Add the fish sauce to this mix, as well as the soy sauce and the tomato sauce stir until all the ingredients are well mix. By this time the chicken should be well cooked and the vegetables also. Slowly pour the coconut milk into the wok or large pan containing the chicken, add the red bell pepper and peas and then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Once done, serve over steaming jazmine rice and enjoy a great meal.

Thai Peanut Salad Dressing

Ingredients
    1/3 cup  rice vinegar
    1/3 cup  peanut butter
    2/3 cup  water
      2 tb low-sodium soy sauce
      4 cloves garlic; (i use 2)
      2 ts sugar
      1 ts crushed red pepper 

Place ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.

French's French Fried Onions Chicken

This recipe is not mine, but I wanna post it because I tried it and I looooooove it. Instead of using bread crumbs  I used crushed French's French Fried onions and the result was scrupmtious.

Ingredients:

2 regular size boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 large can of French's French Fried onions.
2 eggs

Season your chicken however you like, i marinade my chicken in Spanish Marinade (Mojo Criollo, whichever brand you want).
I sprinkle my favorite spices, usually, black pepper, oregano, dried cilantro, a bit of cumen, but again it is up to you what spices you use. Crush about 2 cups of the french fried onions inside a ziplock bag. after the chicken has been in the marinade for about an hour, remove it, dip in the eggs and then cover it with the crushed onions and placed on a baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, until brown and crispy.

Thanksgiving Turkey, with a Cuban Touch!

Well, all I have to say is that it was great! My turkey was once again a complete success! We all know that turkey is one of the most FLAVORLESS meats ever, you practically have to do MAGIC to give it some flavor. Most turkey recipes rely on a jar of GRAVY to make turkey edible and to some extent enjoyable.  Being latin gives me an edge, because we are accustomed to using a variety of spices and herbs that add a lot of flavor to food. Salt and pepper doesn't cut it with turkey.

I started treating turkey as if it were pork, ha, and using the same seasonings I use with pork except that pork is a very flavorful meat and it trully needs very little seasoning.

So i'm going to give you my recipe for seasoning the turkey, and I promise you that if you follow these steps, your turkey will no longer require the dreaded jar of gravy!

Unfortunately many of the seasonings I use are not available in all areas of the country, some are only available locally since they are very specifically used in Cuban cuisine, but you can always order them online!
 YOU CAN USE THIS RECIPE FOR YOUR XMAS TURKEY AS WELL!

Ingredients:

Dried oregano
Complete seasoning (a mix of ground herbs and spices, cuban Style-I use Badia Brand Sazon Completa)
2-1L bottles Mojo Criollo (Spanish Marinade- A liquid seasoning. I use different brands, Kirby, La Lechonera, Badia, Iberia, etc)
White cooking dry wine ( Specifically dry cooking  wine because it is seasoned, this wine is not for drinking, again several brands available, Edmundo, Iberia, La criolla etc)
2 medium size bitter oranges (not the kind you eat or make juice with. If you do not have bitter oranges use LEMONS.
1/2 L of Bitter orange juice
2 1lbs packages of thin sliced bacon (my friend Tania introduced me to the bacon wrap)
1/2 cup of chopped garlic

Directions
1-Defrost your turkey, make sure it is nice and dry.
2-First, with a a sharp knife separate the skin from the meat but DO NOT REMOVE the kin.
3-Make cuts on the meat of about an inch wide and as deep as you can.
4-get the chopped garlic and begin to rub it all over the turkey, underneath the skin. Stuff it in the cuts you made.
5- Then generously sprinkle sazon completa (Badia Brand, Complete Seasoning) all over the bird, try to get some of in the the small cuts you made on the skin.
6- Sprinkle the dried oregano generously as well all over the bird.
7- Cut the bitter oranges in slices, with skin and all, and place between the slices skin and the meat throughout the turkey.
8- Then place the bird inside a bag ( I use a new trash bag)
9- Pour the two bottles of mojo Criollo (spanish liquid marinade)and the bitter orange juice in the bag with the bird. Tighten the bag, ensuring the knot is as low as possible very close to the bird and cut the excess bag.
10- Place in the the refrigirator for 2 days prior to cooking -DO NOT FREEZE ONCE IT IS SEASONED.

At cooking time:
1-Remove the turkey from the bag, place on the baking pan or tray, sprinkle some more Sazon Completa (complete seasoning)
2- Use the two packages of thin-sliced bacon to wrap around and completely cover the turkey
3- Stuff the turkey with your favorite stuffing
4- Place in a pre-heated oven at 400 degrees, cook for about 2 1/2 hours, then lower the temperature to about 325 degrees and cook for another hour or until the meat is cooked. Check internal temperature of the turkey with a meat thermometer. I usually like my pork and turkey or chicken to be a t around 160 degrees.

About the bacon:
You can wrap the turkey in bacon before cooking it or you can put the bacon on after the first two hours of cooking, it is up to you. When the turkey is fully cooked, the bacon will most likely be burnt so remove and discard, and you should have a delicious and flavorful turkey.

If you still want gravy, use the fluids and juices released by the bacon and the turkey  meat. Mix about two teaspoons of corn starch with water, empty the turkey juices on a 1 qt saucepan , bring to a boil and slowly ad the mix of water and and corn starch. Lower the heat to medium, stir until thick and VOILA!!! you have delicious home made gravy!

Enjoy!!

My Favorite Red Wine

I love red wine, Casillero del Diablo is my favorite. Inexpensive and great tasting. Very easy to drink. Usually between 9 and 10 bucks at the local supermarket.

Give it a try, I am sure you will agree with me.

Enjoy!

Oven Roasted Vegetables, with Olive Oil, Herbs and Spices

Here is another simple recipe for a great dish. I first ate roasted veggies when my friend Tania brought some to work one day. I loved them so I asked her for instructions and I decided to give it a try.

So here we go:

Ingredients: ( it is up to you what veggies you choose and how much you cook them)

This will serve about 4 to 5 people

2 medium
size Zuccini
3 medium size squash Squash
2 eggplants
about 4 to 5 plum tomatos (these hold better when roasted)
2 heads of garlic
Mushrooms of your choice, you can mix different species
2 medium size onions ( I like vidalia, or red onions)
Dried oregano
Thyme
Rosemary
Black pepper
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro

Directions:

Cut the veggies however you like, cubed or slices.
Spread the veggies on a baking tray or ceramic baking pan in layers, adding a bit of olive oil to each layer, as well as sprinkling some dried oregano as you build the layers.
You can separate the cloves of garlic but DO NOT PEEL them. If you do they will burn very easily. Leaving the skin on, cooks them well without burning them and when they are well cooked the skin just comes off.

Once the veggies have been neatly spread on the baking tray or pot, pour the olive oil evenly over the veggies, you may use more oil if you feel you need to.
Sprinkle the rest of the oregano and the rest of the spices and some salt if you want.
When cooked to your taste, chop the cilantro very finely and sprinkle over the veggies. Serve with, Chicken or beef, and a nice cup of red wine.

Enjoy

Stewed pigs Feet with Beef Tripe and Chick Peas( Patas de Puerco con Panza y Garbanzos)

This dish is very traditional in Cuban cuisine although not of everyone's liking. It is more of an acquired taste, but I happen to love it. It is a labor-intensive dish and honestly quite far from being healthy, but most traditional dishes are really not very much on the healthy side. Fortunately this is not something you eat all the time. so here we go:


Ingredients:

4 to 5 pounds of chopped pigs feet
2 pounds of Honey Combed Beef tripe
4 cans of Chick Peas
3 Cups of Dry White cooking wine
1 onion (red or white)
Chopped Garlic
1 small can of tomato sauce or paste
1/2 cup of Spanish Marinade ( mojo criollo)
1 tbsp Complete seasoning , (Sazon Completo) add more if you feel you need it.
1/2 a green bell pepper
2 bay leaves (laurel leaves)

In a pressure cooker, cook the pig's feet and tripe for about 45 minutes on high. If after that time it is still not tender, cook it for another 30 minutes and check again.

The pigs feet are cooked when the skin and meat are easily detached from the bone using a fork.

On a separate pan heat some olive oil, chop the onion and the bell pepper and sautee in the oil. Add the tomato sauce, spanish marinade and complete seasoning. Let it simmer for a about 2 to 3 minutes until the onions are soft. Remove from the stove.

Once the pigs feet and tripe are fully cooked remove the stock and place on a separate container.

Empty the cooked onions with the tomato sauce and the seasonings in the pot with the pigs feet, add 2 cups of the stock, add the chick peas,stir well and let simmer on medium high. Add the 3 cups of cooking wine and stir, add salt to your taste and let simmer on medium for 25 minutes adding stock as needed., and serve with rice or by itself.

Simple and Delicious Meatloaf

I really enjoy meatloaf but I had never made it so I began to experiment with different recipes I found online and the result was pretty good, I actually enjoyed it, so I would like to share it.

Ingredients:

2 pounds of lean ground beef, turkey or pork. I used beef in this recipe. I usually buy my beef whole, and I clean it and grind it in my food processor

1 medium onion
1 green or red bell pepper
1 egg-white
1/3 cup of chopped garlic
1/2 cup tomato sauce or paste
1/2 cup of mojo criollo (Spanish Marinade)
1 1/2 tablespoons of Badia complete seasoning
1 beef boulion cube (maggie or Knorr)
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup of dry white cooking wine
1/2 cup of bread crums (or cracker or matzo meal)
Approx. 1/2 cup of ketchup
Salt to your taste


Preparation:

Place the meat in a large bowl. Add the egg-white Mojo criollo (spanish marinade) complete seasoning, chopped garlic and onion, chopped red or green pepper, bread crums or equivalent, crushed beef boulion, dry cooking wine, bay leaves and salt. Mix thoroughly in the bowl kneading the mix with your hands for a better integration of the ingredients.

Let sit in the bowl covered with foil or plastic wrap for about an hour in the fridge. After that, place in a loaf mold, spread the ketchup on top of the loaf, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and bake for 1 1/2 hours.

When checking with a thermometer, make sure the meat inthe center has a temperature of 160 degrees.

Serve with steam veggies and enjoy!!!

Beef & Turkey Chilli

Chilli is no mistery to make. Actually it's a pretty simply hearty meal, good anytime of the day. Here is my Crock Pot recipe.

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef ( isually buy the meat whole, I clean it myself and grind it with my food processor)
1 lb ground turkey
1 large can of red kidney beans (1 lb 13 oz [822g])
1 regular size can of red kidney beans (15.25 oz [432g])
1 large can of diced or crushed tomatoes or 1 1/2 pounds of fresh tomatoes
1 regular size can of diced or crushed tomatoes
1 medium size onion
1/3 cup of chopped garlic
1 green bell pepper
1 tbsp of Badia complete seasoning
1 cup of mojo criollo (spanish marinade)
2 bay leaves
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
Chilli powder ( I usually buy the chilli kit)
Salt to your taste.

Directions:

Mixe the beef and turkey in a large bowl, add the Mojo (spanish marinade), the badia complete seasoning, the chopped garlic and the chopped onion. With your hands mix well and knead untill thoroughly mixed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and let it sit in the fridge for 30 to 45 minutes to integrate the flavors.

Preparation:

Brown the meat, and then place in the crock pot, add the tomatoes, beans, bell peppers, cilantro, bay leaves, chilli powder (Kit) and salt. Mix thoroughly set on high for 1 hour. After an hour, turn the temperature to low and cook for 4 hours.

Serve with shredded cheese (cheddar, I prefer the 4-cheese mix) and a spoon of sour cream.

The chilli kit usually comes wit hot pepper powder, I never use it because it is very HOT and not everyone appreciates that so I serve it mild and put out a bottle of hot sauce so my guests add as much or as little as they want.

Enjoy!!!

Grandma Rosie's Fabulous Challah

For those of you that don't know, Challah (pronounced Hallah) is the traditional Jewish bread eaten Fridays during the celebration of the Holy Shabbat ( Sabbath). It is also knonN as Egg Bread beacause its recipe contains EGGS!!!!

So here it is , enjoy it.

Make sure you follow the recipe EXACTLY as you see it!!

You will need:

• 7 cups flour
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar (or honey)
• 2 pkg yeast + 1/3 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup cold water

This recipe makes the equivalent of 3 braided loaves.

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Beat eggs in a small bowl.
In a large bowl mix oil, sugar and salt.
Add boiling water to large bowl and stir until all is dissolved.
Sprinkle yeast into a measuring cup with 1/3 cup warm water. Wait a few minutes, then stir.
Add cold water to mixture in large bowl. (The stuff in the bowl should now be the right temperature to add yeast. If too hot, wait a few minutes; if too cold, put the bowl in the microwave to heat it.)
Add yeast to large bowl.
Add eggs to large bowl, reserving about 1 tablespoon.
Add flour 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
Turn out dough onto floured board and knead for 5 minutes, adding more flour as needed (but not too much). Dough is ready if it springs back after being poked with a finger.
Put back into bowl, cover with dishtowel, and put in warm oven (heated to 170-200, and then turned off beforehand) until doubled - about 1 hour.
Turn out onto floured board and knead for 1-2 minutes.
Divide dough into thirds.

(the following portion of the recipe, in bold, is optional, u can give it whatever shape you wish.)

Take one of the thirds, and knead for another minute. Form into 8-12 small "snakes" for bulkies, or 3 large snakes for braid. Make bulkies by knotting each small snake and pinching the ends together. Place bulkies close together pinched-end down in greased pan (I use Pam). For braids, pinch ends of 3 large snakes together and begin braiding. Pinch ends together when done. Place in greased round pan or loaf pan.

Repeat for 2 other thirds. Put formed loaves/bulkies into oven (pre-heated and then turned off, as before) for about 45 minutes.
Remove from oven. Turn oven to 350.
Brush tops gently with reserved egg. Sprinkle with poppy seeds, if desired.
Bake for about 30 minutes (loaves) or 20 minutes (bulkies). Times will vary. Watch for moderate browning on top, but be careful not to allow scorching on bottom.
Remove from pans, and put on dish towels to cool.
YUM!!



This recipe was foung at: http://www.williams.edu/astronomy/people/kkwitter/challah.html