I would like to share with you my sister’s fun dinning experience that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil but it took her back to her visits to Ecuador and to the healthy ceviche.
“There are a lot of charming restaurants in Leblon, a wealthy neighborhood by the sea in Rio de Janeiro, where the rich & famous people live. I have recently been to the restaurant“Quadrucci” with friends and we started with appetizers, as we were not very hungry, and they were great.
One of my friends had a fantastic grilled seafood platter served with a delicate salsa. Everybody else ordered salads. Mine had asparagus and little slices of salmon with a ginger, soy sauce and lots of lettuce. It was very nice!
I saw they had also ceviche on the menu, and I was very tempted to try it. But there is a “cevicheria” in São Paulo, where I live, that I want to go, so I decided to live it for São Paulo. “Ceviche” is a Peruvian dish. It is basically marinated seafood or fish in a very rich lemon sauce (which “cooks” the fish). It’s absolutely delicious! I tried it when I visited Ecuador. Last year a friend of mine from Peru prepared it at her home and I almost asked for more! I think everybody can make it at home. You just need fresh seafood and/or fish, lemon, onions and salt.”
Feijoada is a type of Bean Stew original from Portugal that is also found in Angola, Brazil and other former Portuguese colonies. It can be made with different types of meat and beans. The name comes from feijão, Portuguese for "beans". In Brazil, the fusion of African and local cuisine, resulted in the famous Brazilian feijoada. An icon of Brazilian cuisine known internationally. Feijoada is the kind of comfort food that brings people together in Brazil. Feijoada lunches can be an all day event involving dancing and lots of fun conversations.
The traditional Brazilian feijoada is prepared with black beans and a variety of salted pork products, such as salted trimmings (ears, tail and feet), bacon and sausage. However, I am not a fan of fatty meats, so I created a slow cooker lean feijoada recipe. The result is an effortless dish that is also healthier and flavorsome.
In Brazil, feijoada is often enjoyed with family and friends paired with various side dishes and caiprinhas cocktailsor beer. Some of these side dishes are collard greens, rice, peeled oranges and a pepper sauce.
This stew is easy to prepare and it is very economical. You can make a large amount of feijoada with a few low cost ingredients.
Brazilian Feijoada:
Ingredients:
1 ¼ cups of chicken stock
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 lb of pork tenderloin OR pork loin
1 (8oz) skinless smoked sausage, sliced
¼ teaspoon of ground cumin
2 dried bay leaves
2 (15oz) cans of Black beans, not seasoned
1 slice of hickory smoked bacon
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cooked rice, for serving
Trim excessive fat from pork tenderloin and cut it into 1 inch pieces. Lightly season meat with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Layer the sausage and pork meat in a 4 to 5 quart slow cooker. Sprinkle ground cumin, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour beans and chicken stock over the top. Add the bay leaves and bacon.
Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or until meat is tender. Remove bay leaves before serving. If you like, remove and discard the bacon slice too. Leftovers can be refrigerated for one week.
Serves 8.
Collard Greens
Ingredients:
1 lb of fresh collard greens, thin sliced
1 tablespoon of olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
In a large sauce pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute garlic for about 3 minutes and stir in collard greens. Work in batches if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Cook it covered over medium low heat for about 7 to 10 minutes or until tender. Serve immediately.
Serves 8.
Pepper Sauce
Ingredients:
¼ cup of roasted peppers, chopped
1/8 cup of jalapeno peppers (or any other hot pepper), chopped
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
1/8 cup onion, chopped
1 ½ tablespoon of fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice
¾ cup of olive oil
1 dry bay leave
¼ teaspoon of paprika
Ground cayenne pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
In a bowl mix all ingredients together and refrigerate overnight. Remove and discard the bay leave before serving.
You can call me old fashion but I am a big fan of traditional pasta dishes, especially lasagna (spelled “lasagne” in Italy). It is a delicious savory pie! You can layer this broad noodles with pretty much anything you like, including vegetables, cheese, meats and tomatoes.
I prepare this comforting dish in different ways, but today I would like to share with you the lasagna recipe that brings back sweet childhood memories. I will always enjoy this simple lasagna as if I was trying it for the first time.
Lean Ham Lasagna
Ingredients:
1 lb of egg roll wrappers
1 lb can crushed tomato
4oz of tomato paste
1 cup of water of chicken broth
8oz of sliced provolone cheese
¼ cup of parmesan cheese, shredded
10oz of mozzarella cheese, sliced
12oz of lean smoked ham, thin sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of olive oil
6 large leaves of fresh basil, chopped
½ teaspoon of dry oregano
½ teaspoon of dry Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon of sugar
Salt, to taste
Preheat the oven to 375F.
In a heavy sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until it is very fragrant. Stir in crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, sugar and tomato paste. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Stir in basil, Italian seasoning and oregano. Season with salt. Simmer for about 10 minutes and remove from heat.
Cover the bottom of a large casserole dish with the marinara sauce. Add a layer of egg roll wrappers, cutting the edges with necessary to make it fir. Apply another layer of sauce, followed by a layer of ham and then sliced cheese. Repeat the layers until there are no more egg roll wrappers. Finish the lasagna with a generous layer of marinara sauce and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
I don’t miss the pie recipes posted on The Empty Nest every Friday and I would like to share with you some of my favorites. First, I will start with a creamy and rich Chicken Pot Pie with a flaky crust. If you crave homemade comfort food, this savory pie is a great choice.
But if you are craving a sweet treat, you want to try the prize-winning Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie. Another wonderful option is the creamy Pineapple pie (shown above)with cream cheese topping that includes a recipe for pie crust cookies made with left over dough. Lastly, there is the old time favorite, the sweet and tart Apple Pie.
Janet recipes are filled with step by step pictures and several helpful hints to help you make the perfect pie.
My first giveaway is over and Ruth is the winner! Congratulations!
I would like to thank everybody for participating and for providing such good feedback! I am working on many of your suggestions and appreciate your support.
When I was pregnant with my first child a dear friend cooked chicken mole for us and it was delicious! He introduced me to the wonderful mole, this famous thick, rich, chocolate-tinged sauce. Traditional mole recipes call for more than 20 ingredients, including different types of pepper, nuts and a small amount of chocolate. This concoction is boiled for hours until it reduces to a thick, fragrant and unique sauce.
To make mole form scratch is time consuming, so I developed an easy chicken mole recipe inspired by our friend’s dish. It is a simple, economical and tasty recipe that you can serve even to guests. My husband and I love this dish and I hope you will enjoy it as well.
Simple Chicken Mole:
Ingredients:
1 ½ lb of chicken breast tenderloins, boneless and skinless
¼ cup of store-bought mole sauce
1/8 cup of fresh lime juice
2 ¼ cups of chicken stock or chicken stock
¼ teaspoon of garlic powder
¼ teaspoon of paprika
¼ teaspoon of onion powder
½ teaspoon of ground cumin
¼ cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cooked white rice, for serving
Preheat the oven to 375F. Spray a casserole dish with cooking oil. Set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Meanwhile, season chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and lime juice. When oil is heated, add the seasoned chicken and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, turning it only once after 5 minutes.Add 2 tablespoon of chicken stock after 5 to 7 minutes to keep the meat from getting dry.
Transfer the chicken to prepared casserole dish. Set aside. Add mole to skillet and slowly add the remaining chicken stock (1 cup at the time). Cook it over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until the mole sauce is fully dissolved. Add cumin and let it simmer for about five minutes. Pour sauce over chicken in prepared casserole dish.
Bake it uncovered for 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top it with chopped cilantro. Serve it hot with cooked rice. Garnish with jalapenos peppers, if desired.
Serves 4.
If you like your chicken mole with beans, here is another simple recipe:
Latin Style Pinto Beans:
Ingredients:
15oz (1 can) of pinto beans
1 dry bay leave
½ slice of uncooked bacon
½ cup of water
1 small garlic clove, minced
Salt, to taste
In a sauce pan, cook the bacon over medium heat. Remove bacon from the pan. Add bay leave, garlic and pinto beans with the juice. Stir in water. Season with salt. Simmer over medium low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Crumble bacon and return to the pan, if desired. Serve hot.
Note: You can find mole sauce in the Latin or Hispanic aisle of your grocery store.
The other day I got the milk out of the fridge and it didn’t look good. When I opened the bottle and it didn’t smell good either. Based on the expiration date, I shouldn’t have bad milk for at least another 4 days. I obliviously couldn’t prepare my kids cereal with that milk. Furthermore, I start to wonder what “food expiration dates” really mean? So I did some research.
I found out that there is no substitute to common sense and dates stamped on the packaging of the food you buy can be quite confusing. For example, "sell by" is more a guide for the store to know how long it can display a product for sale. The "best before" or "best if used by" date usually refers to a quality or flavor of the food. "Use by" works more like an expiration date, similar to that on medicines, and taking them after the date is not recommended. However, when it comes to raw meat, you should be extra careful. Food safety experts recommend that consumers should either eat or freeze any type of raw meat within two days of buying. If you decide to freeze your ground meat, remember that it needs to be consumed within three months of being frozen.
Now, let’s talk about my “milk situation”. I learned that milk starts deteriorating in quality quite quickly. Pasteurized milk may remain fresh for five days after its sell-by date. Interestingly, milk can lose vitamins when exposed to light, which is why it usually comes in opaque plastic or paperboard. Generally speaking, dairy and raw meat should be kept in the low 30 degrees Fahrenheit, while the home refrigerator's temperature is set around 40 degrees to keep other things in the fridge (like vegetables) from freezing. Therefore, you should place these products where your refrigerator is the coldest.
When it comes to canned food, most high-acid can stay on shelves for twelve to eighteen months. Low acid foods, such as fish, meat, and some vegetables can be used for two to five years if stored properly. If the can is budging, that means it's infected by some unwanted bacteria and should not be eaten.
After the "use by" or “best” date has passed, you may start to notice gradual changes in the product’s texture, color, or flavor. But as long as item has been stored properly, you can generally consume it beyond this date. The way the food is handled by producers, retailers and consumers can affect the quality and freshness of food. Experts’ points out that most of these dates are not an indicator of safety, rather of quality. Some foods spoil if not refrigerated quickly enough. Ultimately, most of these labels should be used more as a guide, rather than a hard and fast expiration date.
Your best bet for gauging whether a product with this type of date is still of satisfactory quality is to simply smell and taste it first. Always use common sense and discard foods that have developed an unusual odor, flavor or appearance.
Today I am posting the last recipe to celebrate National Cherry Month and I would like to share with you one of my favorite desserts: Black Forest Cake. It can be time consuming to make certain desserts from scratch but when you use the help of a cake mix, you can pull it off quickly. I selected a delicious version of the traditional Black Forest cake that you will love!
Black Forest Torte:
Ingredients:
1 pkg of dark chocolate fudge cake mix
2 1/2 cups whipping cream
2 1/2 tbsp confectioners' sugar
1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
Prepare, bake and cool cake according to package directions.
Beat whipping cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add sugar gradually.
To assemble, place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread two-thirds cherry pie filling on cake to within 1/2-inch of edge. Spread 1.5 cups whipped cream mixture over cherry pie filling. Top with second cake layer. Frost sides and top with remaining whipped cream mixture. Spread remaining cherry pie filling on top to within 1-inch of edge. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
I have been receiving wonderful feedback from all of you and I would like to thank for that. I have getting great suggestions on the blog content, and especially on the old blog background. Several people said the original layout was narrow and kind of dark. To make my blog more pleasant and easier to ready, I eliminated the brown edges and I changed the layout. The text screen is now wider and the colors are softer.
I had to change the NetworkBlogs widget to a badge (placed under the Blog Archive) but everything else remains the same.
I hope you like the new layout better! I am always interested in your thoughts and ideas so feel free to give your feedback at any time!
There are many claims to the invention of the Margarita, the most popular mixed drink ordered in 2008 in the U.S. (representing 18% of all mixed drink sales in the U.S.). It is definitely one of the most famous tequila cocktails recipes.
But the origin of the cocktail is actually unknown. There are claims that a Dallas socialite, named Margarita Sames, created this drink during a party at her vacation home in Acapulco, Mexico. Others believe that Carlos Herrera is the inventor of the Margarita.
Despite of knowing who created this refreshing drink, I would like to know how can something so simple taste so good? A little salt around the rim, a blend of citrus fruit juice and tequila and olé! You have made yourself a wonderful margarita!
When I educated myself a little bit on the art of making the perfect Margarita, I learned that traditionally there are three basic ingredients: tequila, orange liqueur and lime juice. Obviously, good quality ingredients make a better Margarita.
In my opinion, colorless or “blanca” tequilas have a smoother taste than the gold. Also, you should use fresh squeezed lime juice. The limes should be ripe, juicy and soft. Finally, the most appropriate type of salt is considered to be the coarse kosher salt.
I have a great Margarita recipe for two:
Margarita on the Rocks
Ingredients:
¾ cup of tequila
¼ cup of triple sec
¼ cup of fresh squeezed of lime juice
1 tablespoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice
Coarse kosher salt
Lime wedge
Ice cubes
2 packets of sweetener (optional)
Add the tequila, orange liqueur, fruit juices and sweetener in a cocktail shaker half filled with ice cubes. Close it and shake well for about 1 minute.
Moisten the rim of the glass with lime and then salt it. Fill half of the two cocktail glasses with ice. Pour the mixed drink into cocktail glasses and enjoy!
I am not a great cook but I like to try different recipes from around the world. Food is one of my passions! I love to eat and I am good at it! Seriously! Because of that, I created this blog to share with you my experiences and ideas regarding food, cooking and baking. I hope you enjoy it!
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