Rolled Fish Fillet

Ingredients
3 fish fillet
Green, red and yellow pepper thin sliced
1 onion, thin sliced
Salt
Pepper

Method:

Wash well the fish fillet and place them in a clean surface. Cover them with a transparent paper and start thinning it by pounding it softly with a meat mallet until looks like in the picture.Cut it in half since it will be big and place in the middle strips of onion, and peppers as you desire. If you wish, you can add other veggies like carrots, etc.

Roll them up and place them next to each other in the baking pan.
Now for the sauce:
2 medium tomatoes
3 bunches of cilantro
2 garlic cloves
Condiments as you like as: salt, pepper, red pepper, cumin, paprika, etc.
1/4 cup lemon juice
If you want it to have spicy flavor you can add chilli
4tbsp Canola Oil

Method:

Blend them all together and pour them on the rolled fish fillets. Decorate them dish with slices of lemon just like shown in the picture and bake between 30 and 50 minutes.

Very good with white rice on the side!

ENJOY!

Lasagna Bolognese

Lasagna with rich beef red sauce, easy to be done and delicious too. You can freeze trays if you would like to and they can sit for up to 3 months in the freezer - a very quick lunch to grab from the freezer and heat up in the oven.


Ingredients

3 tbsp oil
1 onion diced
3 garlic clove minced
500gr minced meat
2 carrots shredded
1 cup of green peas
1 green pepper
1 red pepper (optional)
4 tbsp tomato paste
Salt
Dried or fresh basil - chopped

Bechamel sauce
1L milk
4 tbsp flour
2 tbsp butter
Salt
Nutmeg

Lasagna box
Mozarella cheese

Method

If you buy the lasagna that needs to be boiled first, do so before anything following the instruction. If you buy the one that does not need to be cooked then leave for later use.

Heat oil in a deep pan, and add the meat with the onion and garlic. Cook for around 10 min. Once cooked, add carrots, green peas, green pepper, red pepper. If you want you can add mushroom, even corn. Cover and let it cook for 8 minutes. Add salt and basil plus the tomato sauce with around 1 cup and half of water. Let cook for 2 minute and turn off.

For the bechamel, I mix the flour in the cold milk and bring to boil. Then add the butter and the nutmeg plus the salt. Super easy.

Before assembling the lasagna, heat oven to 200 degrees C.

For assembly, put a little of bechamel at the bottom, then layer of lasagna, then bolognese sauce, bechamel, pasta, bolognese, bechamel, and so on. At the end, pout mozzarella cheese on top.

Bake for 30 minutes, and stick a fork to see if the lasagna has been cooked in case you used the type that doesn't need to be cooked. If its soft, bring to broil to allow the cheese to have this brown beautiful color.

ENJOY!

Potato Gratin

Ingredients

1kg potatoes
2 cups of milk
1 1/2 tsp salt
Grated nutmeg
1 clove of garlic - mashed (you can omit this if you don't want garlic in it, but it gives nice taste)
2tbsp AP flour
3 tbsp of finely chopped green onion
1/2 cup of heavy cream
Shredded mozzarella cheese for topping

Method

Peel potato, wash them and slice them evenly measuring 5mm.

In a pan pour the milk, salt, nutmeg, mashed garlic, and flour - whisk them, and bring to boil until thickens.

Scrub a baking form with butter, and put at the bottom a line of potatoes. Organize them nicely so that the finishing product turns out nice! So a line of potato, sprinkle green onion, put half of the cream on it then put the milk mixture on it, and continue doing another layers until done.

Once all layers are done, bake at 220 C, covered with aluminum foil for around 20min (Pinch the potatoes with a tooth pick to see if its done), then take out the foil and sprinkle the cheese. Bake another 5 minutes.

Delicious, and simple!

ENJOY!

Tuna and Shrimp Dip

I learned this recipe from a Portuguese friend, and we were shocked how good it was! Then we tried it at home and we love it!

Ingredients

500gr boiled shrimps
1 can of tuna in water - if you want to use in oil you have to drain it very well
1 boiled egg
Pickles - as much as you desire and of any kind, it doesn't matter
Salt
3tbsp Mayonnaise

Method

Using a food processor, mix all ingredients except salt and mayo. Then put the outcome in a bowl and add the salt and mayo, and mix gently with a spoon. If you want to add more mayo you are free to do so but keep in mind that the dip will be very liquid in texture.

Serve with baguette bread slices, crackers, toasts, etc.

ENJOY!

Condensed Milk Pound Cake

This cake is a HIT everywhere I make it. It is sweet enough, and the texture is super nice! It goes great with breakfast, or tea party. I know some might think that sugar with condensed milk? that must sound really sweet, but trust me, it isn't. Just give it a try and see!

Ingredients

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
1 1/3 cups (200 g) all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup (106 g) sugar
1 vanilla bean, chopped, or tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup (239 g) sweetened condensed milk
3 large eggs

Method:

Preheat the oven 165 C. Generously butter an a loaf pan or any other cake pan, and set aside.

Sift together the flour and baking powder and set aside.

Put the sugar and the chopped vanilla bean, if using, in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse until the vanilla bean is finely ground. Sift through a fine-mesh sieve and return the sugar mixture to the food processor. If not using the vanilla bean, just put the sugar in the processor.

Add the butter and salt and process until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally. Add the condensed milk and pulse until well incorporated, about 15 times, scraping down the sides of the bowl once. Add the sifted dry ingredients and pulse until no traces of flour remain, about 10 times. Add the eggs and pulse just until combined, about 5 times. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, add the vanilla extract if using and finish mixing by hand to fully incorporate the eggs.

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Bake until the top is dark golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool completely in the loaf an on a rack, then unmold.

ENJOY!

Potato with Coriander

This is an Arabic side dish which is called 'Batata Harra' which means 'Hot/Spicy potatoes' . I don't know why its called 'Hot' when it is not spicy LOL. But this is a great side dish that can come along with anything.

No major ingredients, just simple garlic and coriander. The kitchen smells amazingly when you fry the garlic with the coriander.. Advise: try it NOW.

Ingredients

1 kg of potatoes - peeled and made into cubes
around 5 gloves of mashed garlic - adding more isn't a bad idea!
1/2 cup of chopped coriander
2 tbsp olive oil

Method

Deep fry the potatoes. Reserve on kitchen towel and sprinkle with salt.

I in a deep pan, add oil, then add the garlic and coriander. Cook for 1 minute.

Then add the fried potatoes. Mix gently until combined.

This is a delicious side dish. I highly recommend!

ENJOY!

Cold Coconut Cake

Ingredientes:
2 cups (of sugar

2 cups all purpose flour

4 eggs

1 cup( of milk

2 tbsp of shredded coconut

1 tbsp of baking powder

2 tbsp of butter without salt at room temperature

Method

Using a blender, beat the eggs with sugar and butter until they look like a cream, then add alternating flour and milk, and at the end add the coconut and the baking powder. Butter a cake form and bake for around 40 minutes until golden and toothpick comes out clean.

Sauce for wetting the cake

1 can of condensed milk

1 can (200ml) of coconut milk

1 cup of shredded coconut

Method

Mix everything by hand and when the cake is still hot pour on it slowly the sauce until it dips in it. To make things easier use a toothpick and make holes with it on the cake, in this way it can drink up the sauce easily. Sprinkle shredded coconut on the cake and take it to the fridge to become cold. Store in fridge for minimum 5 hours.

ENJOY!

Gelatin Mosaic

Ingredients

4 packets of Jello of different colors

1 can of condensed milk

0.5 L of milk or you can use 0.2L of coconut milk and 0.3L of milk

10 unflavored gelatin leaves

Method

Prepare the 4 packets of Jello as per their instruction and pour each one alone in a squared recipient and send it to the fridge to harden.

In cold water, soak the leaves.

Cut the 4 jello you prepared previously in square around 1.5-2cm.

Not after you have cut them, place mixed colors in a sprayed cake pan, or any other form you want to.

In a bowl, mix the condensed milk with the milk, and the dissolved unflavored gelatin a little of hot water.

Pour the condensed milk mix on the colored gelatin slowly. With a wooden spoon, move around slowly the cubes so that they are all under the condensed milk mixture.

Place in the fridge for few hours.

Once you want to serve, soak a little the bottom of the form in hot water for 10 seconds then turn on a serving plate.

ENJOY!

Oven Fries

I stopped frying potatoes.. has anyone as well? It seems that I should start doing healthier versions of things.. and this is one of them. The recipe if quite easy, and does not let the whole kitchen smell from the frying oil! that is good! instead, it adds a nice aroma to the whole kitchen since I add to it rosemary..! I advice you that you should try this and stop deep drying! Good for our health..! :) I am planning to add it it other flavors, like garlic, Parmesan, paprika, seasoned salt, etc.

Ingredients

4 whole potatoes
Salt to taste
Dried Rosemary as per taste
4 tbsp of Olive oil

Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Cut in long position the potatoes in half. Once there is separate half, cut it again in half, so each potato should have 4 wedges. Wash and rise.

Add to a bowl the wedges, then around 4tbsp of oil, sprinkle of salt and dried rosemary. Here you can play as much as you want! Place in a baking pan the seasoned wedges, and place in the oven.

Flip the wedges from time to time. I used to flip them anywhere between 20 and 30 minutes. Bake for around 1 to 1.5 hours depending how soft you want it. Insert a toothpick to decide.

ENJOY!

Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

 Cinnamon roll?? Cinnamon bread?? Maybe, but in a different shape!

This bread is sooo beautiful!! I had to post this recipe a friend did, and we just took the picture of it to show it up. She used the recipe from Joy the Baker, which by the way there is a link to it at the end of this post.

This bread was so good with a mug of coffee, as a breakfast or even as dessert.. She placed the dough to rest overnight, and used it in the morning..!

Recipe shown below.. and as well as some beautiful pictures!!

Ingredients

For the Dough:

3  cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 ounces unsalted butter

1/3 cup whole milk

1/4 cup water

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Filling:

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

2 ounces unsalted butter, melted until browned

Method

 

To activate yeast, whisk yeast into 3 tablespoons of warm water.  The water should be between 105 and 115 degrees F.  Add a pinch of granulated sugar and allow the mixture to sit for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is foamy and frothy.  Your yeast is ready to go!  If the mixture does not foam and froth, toss the yeast and try again with another package of yeast.  Add the activated yeast when you combine the wet and dry ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl (I used just the bowl of my stand mixer) whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.  Set aside.

Whisk together eggs and set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt together milk and butter until butter has just melted.  Remove from the heat and add water and vanilla extract.  Let mixture stand for a minute or two, or until the mixture registers 115 to 125 degrees F.

Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula.  Add the eggs and stir the mixture until the eggs are incorporated into the batter.  The eggs will feel soupy and it’ll seem like the dough and the eggs are never going to come together.  Keep stirring.  Add the remaining 3/4 cup of flour and stir with the spatula for about 2 minutes.  The mixture will be sticky.  That’s just right.

Place the dough is a large,  greased bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel.  Place in a warm space and allow to rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour.  *The dough can be risen until doubled in size, then refrigerated overnight for use in the morning.  If you’re using this method, just let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes before following the roll-out directions below.

While the dough rises, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg for the filling.  Set aside.  Melt 2 ounces of butter until browned.  Set aside.  Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch  loaf pan.  Set that aside too.

Deflate the risen dough and knead about 2 tablespoons of flour into the dough.  Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes.  On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out.  The dough should be 12-inches tall and about 20-inches long.  If you can’t get the dough to 20-inches long… that’s okay.  Just roll it as large as the dough will go.  Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter across all of the dough.  Sprinkle with all of the sugar and cinnamon mixture.  It might seem like a lot of sugar.  Seriously?  Just go for it.

Slice the dough vertically, into six equal-sized strips.  Stack the strips on top of one another and slice the stack into six equal slices once again.  You’ll have six stacks of six squares.  Layer the dough squares in the loaf pan like a flip-book.  Place a kitchen towel over the loaf pan and allow in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size.

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Place loaf in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is very golden brown.  The top may be lightly browned, but the center may still be raw.  A nice, dark, golden brown will ensure that the center is cooked as well.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.   Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread and invert onto  a clean board.  Place a cake stand or cake plate on top of the  upside down loaf, and carefully invert so it’s right side up.  Serve warm with coffee or tea.

I think this bread is best served the day it’s made, but it can also we wrapped and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days.

 

Source: http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2011/03/cinnamon-sugar-pull-apart-bread/


ENJOY!

Pao de Queijo - Brasilian Cassava cheese bread

You can call it what you want: Cheese buns, cheese breads, pao de queijo (Portuguese), Cassava bread, Tapioca bread, are a variety of small, baked, cheese-flavored rolls, a popular typical snack and breakfast food in Brazil. In Colombia they are called Pan de yucca.

Its main ingredient is tapioca flour/starch and some people use Queso fresco, mozzarella, even Parmesan.

They are a little sticky, with a special flavor, and too addictive!! very delicious indeed!!


Ingredients:

500g tapioca starch

1 cup milk

1 cup water

1/2 cup canola oil

2 teaspoons of salt
350gr mozzarella cheese

3 eggs

Method

Place the tapioca flour in a bowl

Bring to boil the milk, water and the oil.

Pour the boiled ingredients on the tapioca and mix with a spoon until well incorporated.


Leave till it cools and add the cheese, eggs (one by one), and salt.


Knead it until well incorporated - add remaining eggs one by one.

Make balls measuring around 2-2.5cm in diameter and put it in a baking tray. Bake at 180 preheated oven until they puff and become baked.


You don't want to over bake, they should be a little under-baked which means don't let it get brown colored.!


Enjoy with a tea, cappuccino, even juice!!

Easy Tiramisu

Tiramisu, , literally "pick me up", is a popular Italian dessert. It is made of ladyfingers (Italian: savoiardi) dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of egg yolks and mascarpone, and flavored with liquor and cocoa. The recipe has been adapted into many varieties of puddings, cakes and other desserts.

But now lets go to what I am about to post - its an easy recipe, so, Easy Tiramisu? No raw egg? No Mascarpone? No zabaglione??

Yes! Super easy! This was my first time doing the dessert and it was a hit! I literally made this in like 10 minutes? YEAH!


Ingredients
250 gm of *WHIPPED* Cream Cheese
90 gm of Icing Sugar
450 ml of Thickened Cream/Heavy Cream
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Few teaspoon of Cocoa Powder
1 Cup of strong brewed coffee cooled


Method
1) Whisk thickened cream till it is thick and have stiff peaks ( 4 minutes by hand mixer )

2) Add in whipped cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla into the whipped cream and mix till it is all well combined. Then let it sit in the fridge to set for about 45 minutes to an hour.

3) Line baking paper on a 8 x 8 square pan to ease transferring the tiramisu out of the pan.

4) Line the bottom pan with sponge fingers dipped into the strongly brewed coffee. Then, spread a layer of the pastry cream on top of the sponge fingers. Then another layer of coffee dipped sponge cakes then a final layer of pastry cream on top. The amount of pastry cream is up to you! ;) be extremely generous is my advise!

5) Sprinkle cocoa powder on top as the final touches, this is also up to you how much cocoa powder you want to sprinkle. Once done, place it in the fridge again to set for at least 1 hour but optimally over 4-5 hours to fully allow it to set.

Personal notes
1) If you can't find whipped cream cheese in your grocery store, just beat 250 gr block of cream cheese with 3-4 tablespoon of fresh cold milk till it is smooth and creamy. You may do this the night before and use it the next day when making the Tiramisu

2) Do not soak the sponge fingers or it will fall apart very easily when doing your layers. So just dipped it in very quickly.

ENJOY!

Brigadeiro - Brazilian Chocolate Truffles

These sweet treats are named for a Brazilian Air Force commander who was popular during the 1940′s, and they are a common Brazilian bon bon which is served at any type of celebration. They can be rolled in various types of awesome things, too: granulated sugar, nuts, coconut, chocolate sprinkles.

, these are ridiculously easy to make, by the way. All you need is a little whisking power, a few hours to chill the mixture, and you’ve got it made. If you need a quick fix for some sort of holiday get-together, these are it. They are really good, too.



Ingredients

1 Condensed milk can
3 to 5 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp butter

Method

Pour ingredients in pan and put them to boil mixing all the time with a wooden spoon or spatula. Once it appears that it started to unglue from the pan, and it is thick, turn off and spread over a buttered or sprayed bowl. Wait till it cools and shape balls of 2.5cm diameter with buttered/oily hands, throw in chocolate sprinkles and rolls them over it. Place balls in paper liner. Keep them stored in a cool place.

I found below picture in a Brasilian website, and just added it to show you an idea how some also put the brigadeiro on the table, I LOVE IT! don't you?


ENJOY!

Shrimp Stuffed Avocado

Ingredients:

4-5 firm ripe avocados

1 lb medium sized cooked shrimp

½ medium red onion, diced finely

2 radishes, diced finely

½ red bell pepper, diced finely

2 celery stalks, diced finely

2 hardboiled eggs, diced

5 tbs cilantro aioli or regular mayonnaise

Lime juice from 1 lime

Salt/pepper to taste

Optional garnishes: chopped lettuce, sliced tomatoes and chopped cilantro

Preparation:

1. Chop shrimp in half, if desired keep a few to garnish.
2. Combine diced onions, radishes, bell pepper, celery, eggs, shrimp, ½ of the lime juice and aioli in a bowl, mix well.
3. Taste and salt/pepper if necessary.
4. Cut avocados in half, remove seed and peel carefully.
5. Drizzle remaining lime juice over avocados, this help keep them from darkening too quickly.
6. Use a spoon to stuff avocados with shrimp salad filling.
7. Add any garnishes and serve immediately.