After Thanksgiving dinner, while the rest of the family lounged over dessert, Arthur suggested we move to the living room. He gave me a beautiful engagement ring, which made me lose my breath and giggle like a little girl. I ran to the dining room and flashed the ring. The adults refused to believe it until Arthur proposed loud enough for them to hear. We all hugged, some of us got emotional. We all floated away from the table happy and excited. I later learned, Arthur had Lesli approve the ring before presenting it to me.
The next morning it started to hit me. I AM GETTING MARRIED! I have to plan a wedding. Correction, we have to plan a wedding. I have to juggle my work schedule while finishing this semester, then Spring 2012, at least, before becoming Arthur’s wife (or as Latinos say, la señora de Arturo). Add in Arthur’s work schedule and we have a lot to coordinate while planning for the joyous event.
There are so many things to be planned, purchased, paid for, positioned. Every time I turn around it seems another item is added to the list.
So far we have decided a few things:
Ceremony location – the place where we met.
Colors – ocean and sand (shush, it’s better than blush and bashful in Steel Magnolias).
Theme – tropical, beach, relaxed.
Wedding date – early summer, after school ends for me and the children we want in the procession.
Invitations and printed items are still to be decided. Call me a digital bride, I fail to understand the need for tissue over the invitation. I also wonder about response cards. So many people call, text or email with questions. Enclosing these extras with the invitation seems a bit unnecessary unless the menu has choices like beef, chicken or fish. Which leads me to:
The reception menu is still to be decided. So far we know we want to share our favorite foods. We both enjoy sushi, barbecue, pasta, rice, seafood, pastries, cakes, you name it. This also leads to another sticky point:
We will not serve liquor during our reception, except perhaps for the toast.
As I mentioned above, so many things I never considered are now becoming important. What seems most important right this minute is to practice the following phrase, maybe use it two times a day during the planning and decision time:
If you stepped outdoors (in the United States) recently, you will agree that the weather is blistering, sweltering, steaming, fry-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk, HOT! Weather people keep finding new ways to explain why this is happening, how long this will last, and so forth.
All I know is, it’s too hot to turn on the stove. So I decided to make a meal that ANYBODY can make. One knife, a bunch of spoons and forks. A versatile meal or snack. And for the first time on my Sabroso Saturday recipe entries, I will be sharing the PRICE of the food items used. Because when I go to a restaurant the first question is “what looks good?” and the second question is “how much does that cost?”
So here’s what I used to make these arroz con pollo (chicken and rice) wraps for dinner one night.
Chicken from hot case at market (about 1/2 pound, $3.29)
Rice from hot case at market (about a pound $2.39)
There was only a little prep I had to do. The beans went in the microwave – in the pouch – for one minute. While that was going, I chopped the chicken into bite-size pieces.
For Lesli’s wrap, I used rice, beans and chicken. For my wrap, I used rice, beans, chicken and salsa. By the time I was ready to take the first bite of my wrap, Lesli was almost ready for another wrap. Then she took a sip of her icy-cold drink, and asked me to hide the wrap so she could have it for lunch. I am making a note to serve more high-fiber meals in this heat, so we feel full longer.
It’s time now to do the math: the total spent for three wraps was $12.96. We still have a little bit of rice, some beans, two big pieces of chicken, three wraps, and most of the salsa. Not bad, if I say so myself. Now, you tell me if it looks good. Yeah, I used the knife so we wouldn’t have to pick up the whole wrap like a burrito.
Chicken Rice Arroz Pollo Wraps
I wrote this post as part of the Sabroso Saturday blog hop originated by MsLatina. She writes a post each week at her site – then other bloggers add links to their recipes. I would suggest grabbing note cards, stocking up on ink for your printer, because you will want to try more than one of these recipes!
I don’t have a written recipe for you this week, but some family memories and a link for a how-to video. Get a napkin now, and keep reading!
In June my mami visited New Jersey. She was here for a few weeks, but with end of school for the kids, my college schedule, my sister’s schedule we only had one big family outing , with my sister and her two kids.
It started out innocently enough. Lesli and mami were playing dominoes and talking slowly – mami in Spanish, Lesli in English, to help each other practice. My phone rang and it was my sister saying she was on her way to pick us up. She had a craving for mofongo and wanted me to steer her in the right direction.
We piled in the minivan – all six of us, for a road trip. We debated over prices, locations, parking, until finally ending up at a restaurant nowhere near our original destination.
Mofongo
I forgot what my niece, nephew and mami ate (sorry) but there was laughter and love as we thought about how our day had turned out. We survived “are we there yet”, drizzle, scary servers at overpriced restaurants. Finally, we were all comfortable at a place place that has fancy in the name but feels like home.
The dishes were so big, I mean the PLATES were so big, that when my sister and I got our food it was brought out on butcher blocks.
Lesli ordered “mangú con tres golpes” (mashed green plantains with fried salami, fried cheese and a fried egg – top right corner). My sister had mofongo de pollo (chicken mofongo – bottom right) and mine was mofongo de camarones con jugo de parcha (shrimp mofongo and passion fruit juice – bottom center). Now every time I think of mofongo, it makes me miss my mami.
If you want to try making mofongo, follow what Daisy Martinez does in this video. As usual, she breaks down the process to make it less complex than you might think. I had to smile when Daisy finally takes a bite of the finished product!
This post is part of the Sabroso Saturday blog hop created by MsLatina. You will find links to recipes from bunches of bloggers recipes at her site – grab a napkin now, because when you start reading all the recipes you might end up licking the monitor!
Here we are, the end of June. Children are now home all day long, they have friends dropping by at any time of day or night – hey, school’s out for summer! Or maybe your kids are going to day camp, and need to take snacks or lunches. Whatever your situation, there’s probably travel involved.
Some moms are like Alice from the Brady Bunch, with a magical never-ending supply of snacks. Others may be more like me. I go to the kitchen, open the cabinet or refrigerator, and ask myself “what can I put with what?”
This recipe comes from www.kraftrecipes.com, where my search for “fruit salad” and “under 10 minutes” kept me busy for a while. Finally it came down to this one, with simple ingredients and an elegant, fancy presentation. This salad can be served as in the photo for a dinner with your sweetheart, prepare it in a container for a picnic – or to keep in your cooler for a family outing to the amusement park. (We all know the feeling of “HOW MUCH FOR A HOT DOG?“)
I think the most difficult part of this recipe is slicing the apples. Please be careful when working with knives! (Nutritional information is at the bottom)
Apple Pecan and Gorgonzola Side Salad from KraftRecipes
Apple, Pecan and Gorgonzola Side Salad
total time 5 min
prep 5 min
servings 4 servings
what you need
2 Granny Smith apples, sliced
2 Tbsp. toasted PLANTERS Chopped Pecans
2 Tbsp. ATHENOS Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese
1/2 cup GOOD SEASONS Italian Dressing Mix, prepared with balsalmic vinegar
Make It
ARRANGE apples on four salad plates. SPRINKLE with pecans and cheese. TOP with dressing.
Kraft Kitchens Tips
Serving Suggestion
A serving of this salad makes a great accompaniment to 3 oz. of cooked turkey, chicken or pork and your favorite steamed vegetable.
How to Toast Nuts
Toasting nuts adds crunch and intensifies their flavor. To toast nuts in the oven, spread nuts in single layer in shallow baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 min. or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. To toast nuts on the stovetop, place nuts in ungreased skillet. Cook on medium heat until golden brown, stirring frequently. To toast nuts in the microwave, place up to 1 cup of nuts in a microwaveable shallow dish. Microwave on HIGH until fragrant and crisp, stirring every 30 sec.
nutritional information per serving
Calories 210 Total fat 18 g Saturated fat 3 g Cholesterol 5 mg Sodium 400 mg Carbohydrate 12 g
Dietary fiber 2 g Sugars 10 g Protein 2 g Vitamin A 0%DV Vitamin C 6%DV Calcium 4%DV Iron 0%DV
This post is part of MsLatina’s Sabroso Saturday blog hop. Check in at her site for recipes from bloggers across the country, and from all corners of the internet. Sometimes they involve slow cookers for “set it and forget it”, sometimes the recipes are simple enough for kids, sometimes there are videos. Every week the recipes make me drool!
DISCLOSURE: The link “Alice from the Brady Bunch” goes to Amazon, where you can buy a book of recipes by Ann B. Davis, the actress who played Alice. If you buy the book through that link, I get a percentage of the sale.
My mom is here today – she cooked rice and beans for us, which we ate with a roasted chicken from the deli section. We finished our meal a short while ago and then I remembered Sabroso Saturday. I need a recipe! She recited this from memory, making it seem easy and routine. Of course there are no measurements. This is a non-recipe, handed down from one generation to the next, because it’s so simple. It’s all about what looks good or smells good when you get to the store.
You should know, to my mom cooking is natural like breathing. For years she kicked us out of the kitchen, while she prepared a full meal for a crowd, every single day. Mami thinks nothing of making a sancocho. It’s much easier for her than making meat and potatoes, or any other food that needs a side dish. Sancocho is comfort food, one pot, one bowl. Most times, anyway.
Sancocho
This photo shows the last time Mami made a sancocho for the whole family. It was a spring day where the weather started out nice but hinted at rain.
We went out in the rain for groceries with my sister and Lesli - after we were already on the road, the rain turned to a storm. It got so bad, the store even lost a window! Employees were running around with cardboard and planks to seal up, while we hunted for the best of everything. All of us came back home soaking wet and then the fun really started.
We had bought so much of everything, that the meats and vegetables overflowed from one pot, so Mami had to get another.
Sancocho de 7 carnes
(Stew made with 7 meats)
Ingredients
Meat: beef, chicken, pork, guinea fowl, goat, rabbit, smoked ham (leave out any you don’t like or have)
Vegetables: Celery, corn, green guineos, malanga, plantains, potatoes, squash, yautia, yuca (skip the sweet potatoes or anything that would go in a salad – we’re going for firm starchy vegetables)*
Steps
Add seasonings to meats and put them in a large pot with room in it.
Cover with water, bring to a boil.
When the meat is starting to get tender (before it’s falling off the bone), lower heat to simmer and add vegetables.
When vegetables are soft and starting to crumble, the broth will start to thicken.
Add cilantro, keep on simmer for 10 to 15 minutes then turn off flame.
My favorite way to eat sancocho is over white rice, with chunks of avocado and hot sauce. We have no photos of that, because once we smell the food, everybody comes over to sneak a bowl.
*You can find lots of these in the frozen section, and sometimes even a blend of “sancocho” vegetables, but Mami says it’s better to buy them fresh. Whatever looks good, or smells good, or makes you smile when you see it in the store, that’s what you put in the sancocho.
I wrote this post as part of the Sabroso Saturday blog hop originated by MsLatina. She writes a post each week at her site – then other bloggers add links to their recipes. I would suggest grabbing note cards, stocking up on ink for your printer, because you will want to try more than one of these recipes!
Last week Sunday at our church was Dominican Day – I was asked to bring empanadas. Since our congregation varies from 200 to even 400 on occasion, this task had the potential to make our kitchen a danger zone. Thank God other members were also bringing food – we had everything from white rice, to stewed goat, mashed plantains and about five different kinds of salad.
Lesli and I started the process by seasoning the ground beef for the filling of the empanadas. There was no real recipe, just a kitchen cabinet full of spices. We used ground cumin, onion, oregano and adobo. A sprinkle here, a shake there, until we agreed it tasted right. Once the beef was thoroughly browned I took the top from my spaghetti pot, to drain the grease from the beef. We left the beef on the stove to cool and cut some circles out of premade pie crusts – you’ve seen these, the package has two crusts. The empanadas turned out appetizer size, not bite size. Easy enough right?
After waiting for the fourth or sixth pie crust to defrost, I got annoyed at having to cut circles from pie dough. Besides, Lesli was getting very territorial about re-rolling the scraps of dough, and I wanted the shells to be soft. We went to the refrigerator for canned biscuits. Pop them out, separate them, stretch them a little, and go from there.
We used parchment paper on a cookie sheet to bake the empanadas. I sprayed the parchment paper with my own olive oil in a reusable pump bottle, then sprayed the top of the empanadas so they would brown. We alternated two cookie sheets, and kept making empanadas until almost midnight.
I have no idea the calorie count or nutrition content on these – each empanada had about one tablespoon of seasoned beef. Of course you can make these using leftover shredded chicken, turkey or anything not too moist. Imagine, the day after Thanksgiving when everyone else is doing sandwiches, having turkey empanadas. These can be an anytime, one-hand snack.
WARNING: If you want bigger empanadas, instead of a few bites, buy the jumbo biscuits. Do not try to roll regular dinner biscuits very thin, as the dough might break.
This post is part of the Sabroso Saturday blog hop originated by MsLatina. Check in at her site for recipes from other bloggers across the country, and from all corners of the internet. There’s no telling what everyone will cook!
DISCLOSURE: The link for “reusable pump bottle” goes to Amazon. If you buy through that link, I get a percentage of the sale.
It was an unusually nice evening in April – clear skies, no rain or snow – when I met Sal at the Latism tweetup in New York. He wasn’t the only person I met (there was Angry Latino {who smiles}, and Corazon Tierra {who blogs and tweets about healthy bodies and self-esteem}, and so many others that escape my memory right now). But Sal told me his family owns a Mexican /Salvadoran restaurant and bakery. You may have guessed by now, it doesn’t take much convincing for me to try a new food, or food combination. The idea of a multi-Latino meal was enough to get my interest.
When Mothers Day weekend rolled around it was time to make this a reality. Lesli and I left home on a sunny Saturday and made the trip to West New York, New Jersey. Yes, that’s really the name of the city. We walked along quiet one-way streets, and found Sal at the door of Ranchito Victoria. He had expected us earlier, but there were some wardrobe issues (mine, not Lesli).
Sal greeted us with a smile, let us pick a table and asked us some questions. I like spice, Lesli likes chicken. Sal knew the latest batch of jalapeño peppers had been hotter than usual, and he asked our waitress Araceli to bring over Mexican tamales in a range of spice levels. My plate had three tamales: tamales de rajas, salsa verde, comino. I unwrapped the corn husks from my tamal de rajas (jalapeño wedges surrounded by firm corn masa), ate about half and looked up for hot sauce. Sal got me the fresh-made salsa from the cooler. Made fresh that morning, just as the breads had been baked and everything else for that day was prepped. Lesli was busy with her tamales – mole and comino if memory serves. We didn’t talk much but made yummy noises while we sipped our champurrados – hot chocolate, just sweet enough to take the edge off the spices.
Sal sat with us, asked more questions and guided us toward Salvadoran pupusas. I don’t have pictures of the pupusas because it got messy. Once I grabbed my pupusa revuelta, my hands were full. The pork and cheese inside the pupusa were warm and gooey, then I added curtido and salsa de tomate. To a non-Latino they might be called slaw and ketchup, but if you taste them you can tell this is no ordinary slaw or ketchup. The slaw was crispy, crunchy, sweet and tangy. The salsa de tomate was smooth and creamy. The perfect bite was a mix of contrasts in flavors and colors. Once I got started I just reached for my fork to get more curtido and eat my pupusa. Incredibly, as we sat and chatted afterward Sal asked if we wanted to try one more dish.
Lesli and I had no clue what to ask for. Somehow the idea of eggs for lunch floated over the table. Lesli decided on a Salvadoran desayuno tipico – typical breakfast. Eggs, beans, cream and cheese. She swiped beans and cream onto her fork before scooping up the scrambled eggs. Picked up the maduros to dip into cream or beans. The salty bits of cheese were a bit tangy for her but that was the only item on her dish not made on the premises, so it barely even counts.
My dish was chilaquiles. Tortillas cut into sections, then served with spicy salsa verde, beans, rice, avocado wedges, radishes and eggs sunny-side-up. I kept switching – avocado, beans, rice. Radishes, salsa verde, beans, rice. Fried egg and beans. Finally with about half of my dish staring at me I surrendered. We had the dish wrapped up, and Sal threw in an assortment of their fresh baked breads. There was a swirled cinnamon thing, that was delicious as part of Mothers Day breakfast. I need to go back and find out what it’s called. Who wants to come with me?
NOTE: If you ever visit the area, stop in. For the locals, Ranchito Victoria does deliver. I would only do delivery (or pickup) for date night in front of the TV. Otherwise, come as you are, sit at a table, and watch the world go by while yummy smells drift over from the kitchen.
RanchitoVictoria
If you made it this far, you might be wondering about the recipe for this week. Well, I don’t actually have a a recipe for you. I have several mouth-watering links though. Tracy of Latinaish shared videos on her blog about how to make them, and how to eat them. When you see her adventure eating pupusas with her son, you’ll understand why I didn’t get pictures of my pupusa. On Tracy’s blog you can read how to make curtido for your pupusas.
How to make pupusas by Tracy of Latinaish
NOTE: If you ever visit the area, stop in. For the locals, Ranchito Victoria does deliver. I would only do that for date night in front of the TV. Otherwise, come as you are, sit at a table, and watch the world go by while yummy smells drift over from the kitchen.
Tracy’s recipe for curtido is after her video at this post
How to eat a pupusa by Tracy of Latinaish (dialogue is in Spanish – who would believe she is Latina by marriage?)
I hope you enjoyed this Sabroso Saturday post. MsLatina started this at her site so we could share recipes. Go check who else is sharing a favorite recipe or even a story about their favorite food.
DISCLOSURE: Sal did not tell me when he mentioned his family’s restaurant, but he surprised us by picking up the tab for our feast. I left a tip for Araceli, because she was amazingly patient, gracious and knowledgeable about the food. My next visit I plan to pay for the meal, and maybe video the whole thing to better jog my memory.
I know, Cinco de Mayo has already passed. What you may not know is that to most Mexicans, Cinco de Mayo is really no big deal. Here’s your history lesson: the Battle of Puebla was a major victory against the French army. The Mexican army was severely outnumbered, but they fought and won. Maybe you don’t want to read those articles, so try imagining the movie 300 had a happy ending, okay?
Let’s get back to the point of Sabroso Saturday. MsLatina started this at her site so we could share recipes. So let me tell you how Lesli and I celebrated Cinco de Mayo. We decided to avoid the big restaurants who think “authentic” food has to come with sombreros and mariachi music on the speakers (ahem, notice the French origin of the word mariachi). We went to a local spot owned by people from Puebla. They make delicious cemitas (sandwiches) which can be customized. Extra toppings, heat level, side orders, you get the idea.
Lesli ordered hers Hawaiian style, grilled chicken breast with thick rings of pineapple and ham added to the “standard” shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, chipotle pepper, avocado and strings of Oaxaca cheese. And french fries, because … well, because. I ordered the “house” cemita: grilled chicken breast, one scrambled egg, ham, fried onion, lettuce, tomato, chipotle, avocado, Oaxaca cheese, with tostones.
Lesli sipped her Jarritos mandarin orange soda while waiting for her sandwich, I held mine (tamarind flavor) aside. When the dishes came Lesli said “híjole” and took her first bite. She ended up not finishing the sandwich, and bringing home all the fries. I brought home my tostones, and sipped the last of my tamarind soda on the way out. We also brought home two fresh bottles of Jarritos, which were used to make the orange creamsicle drink. The drink recipe is very very easy.
Two large glasses
In each glass:
1/4 cup (enough to cover the bottom of the glass) mandarin (orange) soda
1/2 cup (one scoop, or three scrapes with a soup spoon) of orange sherbet
Finish with soda
In our case, one 16-ounce bottle of Jarritos was enough for both glasses.
Serve with spoon and straw.
I am sure everyone can create their own varieties: different fruit flavors of soda and sherbet, maybe fresh fruit, fruit juice. Have fun!
cemitas orange creamsicle drink
Disclosure: The link for the movie 300 is my Amazon associates link. If you buy the film I get some money.
This week I’m a little swamped with books – studying for finals. Instead of posting a recipe, I’m keeping a promise. You remember, a couple of weeks ago I passed along a chicken recipe that was demonstrated by one of my school’s chefs. He also shared some tips for the kitchen, and for weight loss. Here are his suggestions (my notes in parentheses). My personal tip is to incorporate one or two habits at a time. An overnight transformation might be too radical.
Kitchen and Cooking
Use separate cutting boards for meats and vegetables; make sure to clean them thoroughly. (Food safety is important. Cross-contamination equals food poisoning, which totally defeats the purpose of cooking at home).
Wipe down counters and surfaces often. 1 capful of bleach in 1 quart of water, mixed in a spray bottle, can be kept nearby. (If you prefer to avoid bleach, white vinegar will do nicely. Proportions can be adjusted according to the specific purpose – you can fill the bottles after the commercial formula stuff is done.)
Weight Loss
If you read nothing else, read this: Eat less, eat sensibly, move more. Burning calories leads to weight loss.
Gradually step down to fat-free milk. Start with 2%, then 1% and finally fat-free.
Combine foods wisely. Instead of white bread and butter, try wheat bread (more filling) with olive oil (maybe some herbs, if the bread is toasted). Instead of a baked potato with sour cream, try a baked potato with fresh herbs or even better a baked sweet potato.
If your dessert is low-fat, skip the whipped cream.
Switch to whole grains.
Snack on fresh fruits, nuts or vegetables. (How about some chilled grapes, juicy mango, firm strawberries?)
Homemade soups are very nutritious and can be low in calories. Combine with salad for a filling meal.
Walk and take stairs whenever possible. (A pedometer helps track progress.)
Liquid calories still count. Water is zero calories.
Avoid fried foods.
Avoid processed foods.
Avoid fast foods. (Yes, fast food is everywhere. But fast food restaurants have healthy options on the menus – sliced apples, salads, and more. Don’t just order by number. READ the menu, ask questions. If the employees give you an attitude, why should you give them your money?)
Limit sugar.
Most people (adults) need 2,000 to 2,500 calories per day.
Multiply your weight by 13, this is how many calories you need to maintain your current weight. (Anything over that is probably GAINING weight, under that most likely LOSING weight.)
2,000 calorie diets are recommended.
3,500 calories = 1 pound (gained or lost); to lose one pound per week you need to create a calorie deficit of about 500 calories per day, either through diet, or exercise, or both.
Calories per item for snacks
40 – low
100 – moderate
400 – high (might as well get a meal)
This post is part of MsLatina’s Sabroso Saturday blog hop. Check in at her site for recipes from bloggers across the country, and from all corners of the internet. Sometimes they involve slow cookers for “set it and forget it”, sometimes the recipes are simple enough for kids, sometimes there are videos. Every week the recipes make me drool!
If you’re looking for a recipe, this week you’ll be disappointed. I have been flooded with books, exam prep materials and project materials – an open textbook, scientific calculator and all other types of school supplies are standard these past few days. But like any other time, a girl’s gotta eat.
Wednesday night, there was dinner before student awards were handed out (and I received the Dean’s Award). I enjoyed the creamy macaroni and cheese, crunchy fried chicken, crisp salad, chocolatey brownies.
Yesterday for our school’s Spring Day festivities we blocked off the street, brought in carnival attractions, a DJ and of course food. I took a moment to grab a grilled chicken sandwich, then handed out dishes to students who stopped to enjoy the event. Before we packed up I made a visit to the Italian water ices and got one with coconut and lemon combined (no messy shirt to worry about).
What was your favorite food this week?
NOTE: Each week on Sabroso Saturday MsLatina tries to get us to share healthy, budget-friendly recipes. She writes a post each week at her site – then other bloggers add links to their recipes. I promise to share a recipe next week – by then I should have the time to re-stock my kitchen!
