Im just taking a moment from my busy day to write about my Christmas dinner. My mother-in-law made her famous Black Cake, which is a Trinidadian style rum/fruit cake with a rich color and flavor. She also made Callaloo and Crab. It was absolutely delicious.
I made Coquito, Roast Beef, Pasteles, Macaroni and Cheese, Bacalao, Guava Jelly Puffs, Glazed Ham, Pernil, and a homemade Habanero Pepper sauce. Everyone had a great time, and we all ate well.
Happy Holidays and Stay Safe!
Roast Beef
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
This recipe for Roast Beef comes from many attempts of making steak for my husband. He is a huge fan of steak, and he can put away at least three of them at one sitting. So, when I chose to make my Roast Beef, I chose to go with the Underblade Boneless Pot Roast cut of meat. Not only does it look like a thick-cut steak, it cooks like one too. I also use this same cut of meat for my Pot Roast recipes, and it always comes out perfect.
Choose a roasting pan that has just enough room for your roast and/or your added vegetables. If the pan is too big, your roast has a greater chance of becoming dry while roasting. If the pan is too small, your juices will overflow, and the roast may take longer to cook.
This recipe can be modified in so many different ways, so be creative! Add your favorite seasoning, or herb, make it a bit spicy by adding crushed red pepper flakes, pour on a little red wine, or even add a 1/2 cup of tomato sauce. Sometimes to enjoy cooking, you have to "color outside the lines" and do your own thing, so have fun!
Roast Beef
2lb. Underblade Boneless Pot Roast
1 Tablespoon Homemade Adobo (see recipes tab)
1 Tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Worchestershire Sauce
1 small Onion sliced into rings
1/2 cup Water
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the roasting pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place the roast directly in the center of the pan. Rub the vinegar onto the meat first. Then rub the Adobo, Old Bay Seasoning, and Worchestershire Sauce all over the meat. Seperate and arrange the onion slices on top of the roast. Drizzle the olive oil all over the roast and the onions. Pour the water AROUND the roast. Cover the pan with foil and roast for 1 hour and 30 min. Remove the pan from the oven, being careful not to remove the foil. Let the roast rest untouched for 25 minutes. Enjoy!
*Tip: You can add vegetables around the roast if you'd like. I choose to roast my vegetables seperately, but Yukon Gold potatoes work wonderfully in this recipe. Russett potatoes tend to absorb more of the juices from the meat, and Red potatoes always give that decorative touch to the dish.
Choose a roasting pan that has just enough room for your roast and/or your added vegetables. If the pan is too big, your roast has a greater chance of becoming dry while roasting. If the pan is too small, your juices will overflow, and the roast may take longer to cook.
This recipe can be modified in so many different ways, so be creative! Add your favorite seasoning, or herb, make it a bit spicy by adding crushed red pepper flakes, pour on a little red wine, or even add a 1/2 cup of tomato sauce. Sometimes to enjoy cooking, you have to "color outside the lines" and do your own thing, so have fun!
Roast Beef
2lb. Underblade Boneless Pot Roast
1 Tablespoon Homemade Adobo (see recipes tab)
1 Tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Worchestershire Sauce
1 small Onion sliced into rings
1/2 cup Water
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the roasting pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place the roast directly in the center of the pan. Rub the vinegar onto the meat first. Then rub the Adobo, Old Bay Seasoning, and Worchestershire Sauce all over the meat. Seperate and arrange the onion slices on top of the roast. Drizzle the olive oil all over the roast and the onions. Pour the water AROUND the roast. Cover the pan with foil and roast for 1 hour and 30 min. Remove the pan from the oven, being careful not to remove the foil. Let the roast rest untouched for 25 minutes. Enjoy!
*Tip: You can add vegetables around the roast if you'd like. I choose to roast my vegetables seperately, but Yukon Gold potatoes work wonderfully in this recipe. Russett potatoes tend to absorb more of the juices from the meat, and Red potatoes always give that decorative touch to the dish.
Coquito
Friday, December 11, 2009
I had to share this recipe to make Coquito. You could say that Coquito is Puerto Rican egg nog, although in my recipe, I choose not to use eggs.
Coquito is made with many different milks and has the tropical aroma and flavor of coconut. I choose Bacardi Gold Rum to use in my recipe, but you can use any rum you like.
Have a few empty wine bottles (or any presentable glass bottles) nearby to store your Coquito in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before serving. Giving the Coquito the extra time in the refrigerator allows the flavors to come together and the consistency to be smooth and creamy.
Coquito
1 12oz. can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 12oz. can Evaporated Milk
1 can Sweetened Cream of Coconut
1 can Coconut milk
1 cup Water
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 cups Bacardi Gold Rum
1 Cinnamon Stick
1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 Teaspoon Allspice
In a large pot, bring the 1 cup of water to boil with the cinnamon stick. Lower the heat down to a simmer and add the nutmeg, allspice, evaporated milk and condensed milk. Stir the pot frequently as the milk tends to stick to the bottom if left unattended. I usually use a whisk for this step.
Next, add the sweetened cream of coconut and coconut milk. Cook for 10 minutes more then remove the pot from the heat. Add the rum and the vanilla extract. Strain the entire mixture through a fine sieve, and fill the empty glass bottles up to three inches from the top. Seal well. Allow the bottles to cool completely before storing them in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Salud!
*http://bacardigoldrum.com
Coquito is made with many different milks and has the tropical aroma and flavor of coconut. I choose Bacardi Gold Rum to use in my recipe, but you can use any rum you like.
Have a few empty wine bottles (or any presentable glass bottles) nearby to store your Coquito in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before serving. Giving the Coquito the extra time in the refrigerator allows the flavors to come together and the consistency to be smooth and creamy.
Coquito
1 12oz. can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 12oz. can Evaporated Milk
1 can Sweetened Cream of Coconut
1 can Coconut milk
1 cup Water
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 cups Bacardi Gold Rum
1 Cinnamon Stick
1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 Teaspoon Allspice
In a large pot, bring the 1 cup of water to boil with the cinnamon stick. Lower the heat down to a simmer and add the nutmeg, allspice, evaporated milk and condensed milk. Stir the pot frequently as the milk tends to stick to the bottom if left unattended. I usually use a whisk for this step.
Next, add the sweetened cream of coconut and coconut milk. Cook for 10 minutes more then remove the pot from the heat. Add the rum and the vanilla extract. Strain the entire mixture through a fine sieve, and fill the empty glass bottles up to three inches from the top. Seal well. Allow the bottles to cool completely before storing them in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Salud!
*http://bacardigoldrum.com
Banana Bread
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
On Monday, I had a chance to test a new Banana Bread recipe that I wanted to try. My recipe calls for Smart Balance Oil instead of butter, shortening or regular oil. Smart Balance Oil is not only a healthy alternative to other oils and fats, but it also provides 1140mg of Omega-3s per serving. I asked a friend to taste test and she didn't notice the difference. Now, even though I've substituted the butter in the recipe, it still has the yummy goodness of milk chocolate chips and chopped pecans. You can omit either one to your liking. Try this recipe, you won't be disappointed.
Banana Bread
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
2 Ripe Bananas mashed
2 Eggs
1/3 cup Smart Balance Oil
1/4 cup Evaporated Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup Chopped Pecans
1 cup Milk Chocolate Chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and line it with parchment paper.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Set aside.
In another bowl, combine the mashed bananas, eggs, oil, milk and vanilla extract and mix well. Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture making sure that all of the dry ingredients are incorporated with the wet ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips and the pecans.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-55 minutes. After 50 minutes, check the center of the banana bread with a knife or a toothpick ( I use a wooden skewer). If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done.
Remove the bread from its pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
*TIP: When baking most things, a general rule to remember is to mix dry ingredients in one bowl, and wet ingredients in another. Also, it is best to always measure as accurately as possible instead of "eyeballing" the ingredients. Baking is fun, but those ingredients have to be accurate to get the best results. Happy Baking!
Banana Bread
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
2 Ripe Bananas mashed
2 Eggs
1/3 cup Smart Balance Oil
1/4 cup Evaporated Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup Chopped Pecans
1 cup Milk Chocolate Chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and line it with parchment paper.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Set aside.
In another bowl, combine the mashed bananas, eggs, oil, milk and vanilla extract and mix well. Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture making sure that all of the dry ingredients are incorporated with the wet ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips and the pecans.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-55 minutes. After 50 minutes, check the center of the banana bread with a knife or a toothpick ( I use a wooden skewer). If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done.
Remove the bread from its pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
*TIP: When baking most things, a general rule to remember is to mix dry ingredients in one bowl, and wet ingredients in another. Also, it is best to always measure as accurately as possible instead of "eyeballing" the ingredients. Baking is fun, but those ingredients have to be accurate to get the best results. Happy Baking!
Baked Empanadas
Monday, December 7, 2009
When I was growing up, my family usually made fried empanadas which we called Pastellios (pas-tell-ee-yos). They were made at every party and on any occasion. Everyone loves Pastellios!
Nowadays, I've changed the recipe and started to bake them. I call the baked ones Empanadas because thats what alot of people call them, but the fried ones will always be called Pastellios to me. Either way, they are both delicious and extemely affordable. I can easily make 50 Empanadas with $15 dollars. The best part is that you can freeze them after they have cooled, and reheat them in the oven or microwave whenever you want.
You can also change the recipe for the filling. They can be sweet, savory, meat or vegetable.
Baked Beef Empanadas
Crust:
3 cups Sifted All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 cup Cold Shortening
1/2 cup Margarine (1 stick) or Butter
1/2 cup Ice cold water
Sift the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder into a large bowl. Cut the butter in small chunks into the flour mixture. Add the shortening in, and with your fingertips, work the butter and shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs (work quickly, this dough needs to be cold and not overworked or it will become tough). Slowly add the water in until it all comes together into a ball. Put the ball of dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and cover it completely. Press the ball down to a disc shape and place in the refrigerator overnight (this really ensures a great tasting crust).
Filling:
1 pound Ground Beef
1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
1/2 teaspoon Homemade Adobo
1 Beef Boullion Cube
1/2 cup Hot water
1/4 cup Plain Breadcrumbs
1 Egg beaten with 2 tablespoons of water
In a skillet, brown the ground beef well (if the beef is very lean, add 1 tablespoon Olive oil). Next, add the thyme, adobo, and boullion cube stirring them in with the beef. Then add the hot water making sure the boullion cube dissolves well (you may add a bit more water if needed). Finally, sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the beef mixture and stir quickly. Remove the pan from heat and let it cool completely.
Remove the dough disk from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for a few minutes while you dust your counter/workplace with flour. Place the disk on the floured surface and dust your rolling pin as well. Roll the dough out working from the center outward until the dough is 1/4" thick. Use a biscuit cutter to cut out as many discs as it can from the entire rolled out dough. Remove the discs and place them in the refrigerator until you are finished rolling out the rest of the dough and getting as many discs from it as possible.
With the flat disc in front of you, brush the edges with the eggwash that you prepared earlier. Place a tablespoon full of beef filling in the center and fold the disc in half, sealing the edges with a fork. Do this with all of the remaining discs and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 415 degrees. Brush the Empanadas with the eggwash and poke a hole in the tops of each one. Bake 30-40 minutes.
*This is a very basic recipe. I usually add sofrito to the filling and Achiote Oil in the dough to give it a pretty orange color. You can easily make these into Jamaican beef patties just by adding curry powder to the dough and minced scotch bonnett peppers and onion to the filling.
*If making dough from scratch is too much of a task, you can use ready-made pie crust from the store and Goya makes frozen discs just for empanadas (found in most freezer isles).
Nowadays, I've changed the recipe and started to bake them. I call the baked ones Empanadas because thats what alot of people call them, but the fried ones will always be called Pastellios to me. Either way, they are both delicious and extemely affordable. I can easily make 50 Empanadas with $15 dollars. The best part is that you can freeze them after they have cooled, and reheat them in the oven or microwave whenever you want.
You can also change the recipe for the filling. They can be sweet, savory, meat or vegetable.
Baked Beef Empanadas
Crust:
3 cups Sifted All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 cup Cold Shortening
1/2 cup Margarine (1 stick) or Butter
1/2 cup Ice cold water
Sift the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder into a large bowl. Cut the butter in small chunks into the flour mixture. Add the shortening in, and with your fingertips, work the butter and shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs (work quickly, this dough needs to be cold and not overworked or it will become tough). Slowly add the water in until it all comes together into a ball. Put the ball of dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and cover it completely. Press the ball down to a disc shape and place in the refrigerator overnight (this really ensures a great tasting crust).
Filling:
1 pound Ground Beef
1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
1/2 teaspoon Homemade Adobo
1 Beef Boullion Cube
1/2 cup Hot water
1/4 cup Plain Breadcrumbs
1 Egg beaten with 2 tablespoons of water
In a skillet, brown the ground beef well (if the beef is very lean, add 1 tablespoon Olive oil). Next, add the thyme, adobo, and boullion cube stirring them in with the beef. Then add the hot water making sure the boullion cube dissolves well (you may add a bit more water if needed). Finally, sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the beef mixture and stir quickly. Remove the pan from heat and let it cool completely.
Remove the dough disk from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for a few minutes while you dust your counter/workplace with flour. Place the disk on the floured surface and dust your rolling pin as well. Roll the dough out working from the center outward until the dough is 1/4" thick. Use a biscuit cutter to cut out as many discs as it can from the entire rolled out dough. Remove the discs and place them in the refrigerator until you are finished rolling out the rest of the dough and getting as many discs from it as possible.
With the flat disc in front of you, brush the edges with the eggwash that you prepared earlier. Place a tablespoon full of beef filling in the center and fold the disc in half, sealing the edges with a fork. Do this with all of the remaining discs and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 415 degrees. Brush the Empanadas with the eggwash and poke a hole in the tops of each one. Bake 30-40 minutes.
*This is a very basic recipe. I usually add sofrito to the filling and Achiote Oil in the dough to give it a pretty orange color. You can easily make these into Jamaican beef patties just by adding curry powder to the dough and minced scotch bonnett peppers and onion to the filling.
*If making dough from scratch is too much of a task, you can use ready-made pie crust from the store and Goya makes frozen discs just for empanadas (found in most freezer isles).
My Weekend
Sunday, December 6, 2009
What a weekend!
Last night I finally finished making all of my Pasteles. In my family, it usually takes a production of grandmothers, aunts, cousins, sisters and mothers to complete a Pasteles making session but I live far from my family so I made them on my own. It was alot of work but it's worth it in the end.
Today my husband and I spent some quality time with the kids. We had a tea party with my daughter, played with flash cards , and watched all the Disney movies she wanted. My son decided that we should create our own Bionicles and play Wii sports for awhile, so thats what we did. Dinner followed shortly, which consisted of Roast Beef and Mashed Sweet Potatoes. Everyone is satisfied and getting ready for tomorrow. Sundays are always alot of fun.
This week, I am working on a new Pepper Sauce recipe and I will finally share my Baked Empanada recipe! This recipe guarantees flaky, delicious Empanadas every time. Also, I will post my Coquito recipe for everyone to try. It makes more than one bottle because trust me, you'll go through the first bottle all by yourself, it's really THAT good!
Have a wonderful night and stay tuned for recipes to come.
Last night I finally finished making all of my Pasteles. In my family, it usually takes a production of grandmothers, aunts, cousins, sisters and mothers to complete a Pasteles making session but I live far from my family so I made them on my own. It was alot of work but it's worth it in the end.
Today my husband and I spent some quality time with the kids. We had a tea party with my daughter, played with flash cards , and watched all the Disney movies she wanted. My son decided that we should create our own Bionicles and play Wii sports for awhile, so thats what we did. Dinner followed shortly, which consisted of Roast Beef and Mashed Sweet Potatoes. Everyone is satisfied and getting ready for tomorrow. Sundays are always alot of fun.
This week, I am working on a new Pepper Sauce recipe and I will finally share my Baked Empanada recipe! This recipe guarantees flaky, delicious Empanadas every time. Also, I will post my Coquito recipe for everyone to try. It makes more than one bottle because trust me, you'll go through the first bottle all by yourself, it's really THAT good!
Have a wonderful night and stay tuned for recipes to come.
Indoor Herb Garden
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
I think that everyone should have an indoor herb garden on their windowsill. It's so simple to put together and so rewarding to have non-stop fresh herbs over the winter season that you grew yourself.
I have no choice but to grow alot of the herbs that I need because they usually aren't sold here. Caribbean herbs like Culantro and Oregano Brujo are two of the hardest herbs for me to find. The Culantro, I usually grow from seeds and the Oregano Brujo is best if grown from cuttings. These two herbs have such amazing flavor that I just couldn't afford to not grow them.
It is so easy and fun to put together a windowsill herb garden. All you need is potting dirt (I prefer Miracle Gro), small clay pots with saucers (clay works best for me and they are so cute!), your favorite herb seeds, and a sunny windowsill. If you are growing oregano or any mediterranean herbs, you may want to add some sand to the dirt mixture, they seem to grow better with sandy soil.
Start with clean pots. Wash them well in hot soapy water and rinse thoroughly. Add your soil about a half of an inch away from the rim.
Read your seed packet directions well. Some seeds only need to be sprinkled on top of the dirt, while others need to be buried under the dirt about a half inch or so.
DO NOT OVER WATER! I can't tell you how many plants of mine died in the hopes that I would one day get that tip. After you water them, you should always wait until the dirt is dry before you water them again.
With the combination of sunlight, patience, and opening the window every once in a while to let air circulate, you will have your own indoor herb garden.
If the wait for the seeds to grow is too long, you can always buy the herbs already grown in your local garden center.
Happy Gardening!
I have no choice but to grow alot of the herbs that I need because they usually aren't sold here. Caribbean herbs like Culantro and Oregano Brujo are two of the hardest herbs for me to find. The Culantro, I usually grow from seeds and the Oregano Brujo is best if grown from cuttings. These two herbs have such amazing flavor that I just couldn't afford to not grow them.
It is so easy and fun to put together a windowsill herb garden. All you need is potting dirt (I prefer Miracle Gro), small clay pots with saucers (clay works best for me and they are so cute!), your favorite herb seeds, and a sunny windowsill. If you are growing oregano or any mediterranean herbs, you may want to add some sand to the dirt mixture, they seem to grow better with sandy soil.
Start with clean pots. Wash them well in hot soapy water and rinse thoroughly. Add your soil about a half of an inch away from the rim.
Read your seed packet directions well. Some seeds only need to be sprinkled on top of the dirt, while others need to be buried under the dirt about a half inch or so.
DO NOT OVER WATER! I can't tell you how many plants of mine died in the hopes that I would one day get that tip. After you water them, you should always wait until the dirt is dry before you water them again.
With the combination of sunlight, patience, and opening the window every once in a while to let air circulate, you will have your own indoor herb garden.
If the wait for the seeds to grow is too long, you can always buy the herbs already grown in your local garden center.
Happy Gardening!
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