Black Beans Cuban Style (Frijoles Negros)

 

This is another family recipe that I grew up with.  I love it so much and could honestly eat it every day.  It is one of those meals that is considered Ybor City Food.

Black beans and garlicy white rice is the perfect combination and is a delicious compliment to Gina's Mojo Roast Pork.  Many like to eat it with raw onions.  My nana used to put finely chopped onions in a bowl on the table for whoever wanted it. 

Hope you try one of my family's traditions.

Ingredients:

1 pound bag black beans, rinsed and picked over
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 medium pepper
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 bunch cilantro, minced
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
3 bay leaves
1 tsp white vinegar

Instructions: 

Soak the beans overnight in a large pot. In the morning, drain the water and set beans aside.

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil. 

Add the onion and green pepper and sauté until soft and translucent.  This is known as the sofrito.

Add 3 cloves of the minced garlic and bay leaves. Continue cooking until the garlic is fragrant.

Add the beans to the onion, green pepper and garlic mixture and enough water to cover everything by an inch. 

Bring beans to a boil then cover, reduce heat and simmer for one hour.

After an hour, stir the beans and add the remaining 3 minced garlic cloves and minced cilantro. 

Return to a simmer, stirring occasionally and cook another hour until beans are tender and the liquid is thick. 

Add the white vinegar.

Add salt and additional minced cilantro if desired. 

Serve over white rice made with lots of garlic.

Chocolate Walnut Strudel

Puff pastry has got to be one of my favorite tricks for semi-homemade cooking . . . actually, The Captain introduced me to cooking with puff pastry.

It is an awesome versatile product that can be used in so many ways.  The result is a very quick, easy and delicious dessert, like this recipe from Pepperidge Farm, that makes such a beautiful and impressive presentation.  But puff pastry is not just for desserts.

Puff pastry has become a regular on my grocery list and I will be posting more recipes from Pepperidge Farm and other sources, as well as those recipes that I create.

Click here to go to the source recipe page and check out more awesome recipes on the website.

Red Lobster Crab Alfredo

Photo Source: Food.com

Red Lobster is my favorite restaurant!  I'm always happy to find their copycat recipes :)

I've never had this dish at Red Lobster, but it includes my favorites, pasta, alfredo sauce and crab . . . so it has got to be good.

Comments for this recipe recommended starting off with less parmesan cheese and add more a little at a time until desired thickness is achieved.

Click here to go to the recipe page.

The Ultimate Shrimp and Grits

 

Photo source: Tyler Florence.com

To go to recipe:

Show: Tyler's Ultimate

Episode: Ultimate Shrimp & Grits

Anything from Tyler Florence is good!
He's my favorite chef of all time.

Shrimp and grits is not the easiest meal to put together
. . . but isn't it worth it?

It is the perfect meal for any special occasion.

Sandy's Tasty Pasta Meal

 

Looks like an awesome beginning to a delicious pasta meal!

Sandy is an old internet friend from back in the Entrecard days.  Anybody remember Entrecard?  Check out her fabulous blog where she shares her travel experiences, recipes and all kinds of interesting stuff.

Click here to go to the page with her instructions on how to make this delicious meal!

Southern Sausage Balls

 

Easy and delicious.  Love Bisquick!

This recipe has been a part of our family parties for as long as I can remember.  They bring back so many memories.

Ingredients

1 lb. hot sausage (Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage)

3 cups of Bisquick

1 cup water

12 ounces sharp shredded cheese

 

Directions:

Mix all ingredients blending well…….use your hands……

Roll into small balls and bake 350 degrees for 15 minutes

Makes about 4 dozen balls

Ten smart kitchen storage ideas and DIY projects

 

Source:  Thrifty Decor Chick

Have you been thinking about using available kitchen space to streamline your kitchen?  Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick has lots of inspiration to make it happen.  She provides helpful information as well as high quality photos.

Click here for the source page for some awesome inspiration.

Storage Mistakes Costing You Money - from Allrecipes.com

Pecan Pie Bars With Shortbread Crust

 

Photo Source: Food Folks and Fun

These pecan pie bars would be perfect for your holiday buffet table or just to have for snacks.  If you like pecan pie, you will love these bars.  They look delicious.

Jillian always has the most delicious looking recipes.  Click here to go to Jillian's recipe source page.  Check out more of her recipes while you are there.

Drop Dumplings for Soup

 

Dumplings are not just for Chicken n Dumplings.  They are kind of like biscuits, but their fluffy texture will add to any type of soup or stew.

Actually, I would have never thought of dumplings as anything other than an important part of chicken n dumplings.  But Ashley at The Recipe Rebel knew that they were important on their own to enhance other meals.  She's very clever!

Click here to go to Ashley's article about dumplings, other ideas of how to use them and how to make them.

Puff Pastry Cream Horns

 

Cream Horns are one of my favorite desserts going way back.  We had italian bakery owners in our family, so desserts were always plentiful.  These were routinely part of the assortment of pastries.  I've never made them, but would love to.

Jillian's recipe at Food, Folks and Fun utilizes puff pastry to make the horn part of the pastry.  Sounds easy and delicious.  The puff pastry will make it so light and flaky!  Jillian is always so inventive with her recipes!

Click here to go to the recipe source page.

Cake with Rum Syrup

 

Photo Source: Recipes of Ybor City Facebook Group

This cake takes me back to childhood Christmas seasons.  There was a time when we would visit friends and family on Christmas Eve like a marathon.  I can't remember exactly who made this cake, but it was made every year.   

It was sinfully delicious!

CAKE:

2 c. sifted cake flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. sugar
6 egg whites
12 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla

Set oven to 375 degrees. 

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium-size mixing bowl. 

Beat egg whites until stiff, adding sugar a little at a time. 

Add egg yolks one by one. 

Fold in sifted flour. 

Add vanilla and pour into a buttered square cake mold. 

Bake for about 30 minutes. 

Let cool. 

Cut cake into squares but do not take out of the pan.

SYRUP:

4 c. sugar
2 c. water
1 cinnamon stick
1 lime peel
3 or 4 drops lime juice
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. rum or sweet wine

Put the sugar, water, cinnamon stick, lime juice and lime peel in a pot. 

Bring to a boil and let it boil for about 5 minutes. 

Take off the stove and add vanilla.
 

Let cool and add the rum. 

Pour the syrup over the cake squares. 

Best when refrigerated a while.

Recipe from Recipes of Ybor City Facebook Group

Coconut-Pecan German Chocolate Pie

     Photo source:  Taste of Home

Going through recipes in my collection from old cookbooks and magazines.  My files are full of these recipes. Here is a recipe for a pie that could be a contender for your holiday dessert table from Taste of Home.  I love Taste of Home!  Check out their website for lots of awesome recipes.

Doesn't it look delicious?

NOTE:  I'm not a fan of lard, so I would substitute with shortening or butter.

Originally published as Coconut-Pecan German Chocolate Pie in Taste of Home, December 2013

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/coconut-pecan-german-chocolate-pie/


Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold lard
• 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

FILLING:

• 4 ounces German sweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans

TOPPING:

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Mix flour and salt in a small bowl . . . blend lard in until crumbly.  Add ice water gradually, toss until dough holds together.  Shape into a disk and refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight wrapped in plastic wrap.

Preheat oven to 400°. 

Roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle on a lightly floured surface.  Transfer dough to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate and flute edge. Line unpricked pastry with a double thickness of foil and fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice.

Bake 11-13 minutes or until bottom is lightly browned. Remove foil and weights . . . bake 6-8 minutes longer or until light brown. Cool on a wire rack. 

Reduce oven setting to 350°.

Melt chocolates in a large bowl in the microwave and stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Whisk in milk, egg yolks and vanilla until well blended.  Stir in pecans. Pour into crust. 

Bake 16-19 minutes or until set. 

Cool 1 hour on a wire rack.

Meanwhile . . . combine brown sugar, cream and butter in a small heavy saucepan.  On medium heat, bring to a boil, while stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat.

Whisk a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks in a small bowl.  Return all to pan and whisk constantly, cook 2-3 minutes or until mixture thickens and a thermometer reads 160°. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut and vanilla; cool 10 minutes.

Pour over filling; sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate 4 hours or until cold. 


Yield: 8 servings.

Air Fryer Baked Potato

 

The baked potato looks so crispy and perfect!

I've made frozen french fries in the air fryer, but not baked potatoes.  Sometimes I make a meal of a baked potato, so I will have to try this.  

Thank you Ashley!  The Recipe Rebel is one of my new favorites with great information to go with the recipes.

Click here to go to Ashley's informative recipe page.

What To Make With Chicken Broth

 

Photo Source: Easy Chicken Recipes

Chicken broth is one of the most important items to have in your kitchen.  

While many make homemade chicken broth, I keep a jar of Better Than Bouillon to make my own chicken stock.  Since I love shortcuts in the kitchen, I just mix it in water and have delicious chicken stock in minutes.  Click here for the Better Than Bouillon website for everything you want to know about using this awesome product that comes in many flavors.

One of my cooking tricks is to use chicken stock instead of water when making rice or pasta.  Think about all the items you make that require water and replace with chicken stock.  It brings an enhanced flavor to whatever you are making.

Becky at Easy Chicken Recipes has an in depth article on everything you want to know about chicken broth, including 29 recipes using it.

Click here to go to Becky's post.

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

 

Photo Source: Food Folks and Fun

The air fryer is what I now predominantly use since The Captain passed away and I am cooking for one.  I've adapted many of my recipes to prepare in the air fryer and will post many of these recipes.  There are many people cooking for one and using their air fryer, so I am looking for more air fryer recipes.  More recipes will be posted in the future.

Jillian at Food, Folks and Fun has posted an in depth air fryer recipe post for chicken thighs.  The article is very informative.  Thank you Jillian!  I am a subscriber to her newsletter and everyone should too!

Click here to go to the recipe post.

Pastina

 

Photo Source:  La Bella Vita Cocina

Pastina is one of my favorite childhood foods.  Maybe the fascination was the little tiny star noodles, however, it was also very delicious.  

It conjures up memories of my nana in the kitchen taking care of everyone.  Pastina would be served to anyone who had the flu or a cold, even though I would ask for it on a normal day.  Guess you could call it italian chicken soup.  

It has been decades since I've had Pastina since I have had no idea of how to make it.  My mom doesn't even remember.  It was one of those things that was so normal, the mindset was that it would always be there, like my nana.  We all loved it.  This reminds me how much I miss my precious nana, she was a treasure. 

Now, thanks to Roz at La Bella Vita Cucina, I can make pastina myself.  I would love to make a large batch and freeze it in portions.  

I mentioned Pastina to The Captain all the time and told him how special it was.  It makes me sad that he will never know.

Click here to go to the recipe page source.  Thank you so much Roz!

Spicy Crab Cakes

Crab cakes are one of my favorite foods . . . and I have posted a bunch of crab cake recipes in the past. This is another recipe a friend shared with me that I have not tested yet from my personal recipe collection.

The mayonnaise sauce in particular caught my eye and I plan on making some very soon . . . just for sandwiches and a different twist for egg and tuna salad sandwiches.

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1/2 lb. fresh lump crabmeat
1 c. ricotta cheese
1 c. (4 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapenos
3 tbsp. cut chives
3/4 c. fine seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/4 c. oil
1 (7 oz.) jar roasted red peppers, drained
1/3 c. mayonnaise


Directions:

Whisk eggs until blended.

Stir in crab, cheeses, chives and 1/4 cup bread crumbs.

Form crab mixture into 1/4 inch thick cakes a on sheet of waxed paper, coat cakes with remaining bread crumbs.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.

In hot oil, fry crab cakes, a few at a time, until golden on both sides, about 3 minutes in all.

As cakes cook, remove from pan, drain on prepared baking sheet with paper towels and keep warm in oven.



RED PEPPER MAYONNAISE SAUCE

Process red peppers with mayonnaise in blender  until smooth.

Serve with crab cakes.

12 servings.

World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is said to have come from a famous cookie maker

3/4 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3 cups flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl, combine the white and brown sugars.

Add butter and cream together with the sugar.

Add vanilla and eggs, mixing well.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking soda and salt together.

Add dry mixture to the creamed mixture.

Mix well; the dough will be stiff.

Add the chocolate chips. Add nuts, if desired.

Line cookie sheets with baking parchment or wax paper.

Using a small ice cream scoop, drop dough onto the cookie sheets.

Bake 10-12 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.

Yield: 2-3 dozen



Variations on World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Start with the basic World's Best Chocolate Chip recipe above, and
making substitutions or additions as called for. All variations
should be baked in a preheated 350F oven for 10-12 minutes, unless
otherwise stated.

Creme de Menthe Chocolate Chip Cookies
Substitute 2 tablespoons Creme de Menthe liqueur for 1 tablespoon
vanilla, and substitute 3 cups mint chocolate chips for the 3 cups
semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Butterscotch Beauties
Substitute 3 cups butterscotch chips for 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Chunky Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
Substitute 3 cups peanut butter chips and 1 cup chopped peanuts for 3
cups semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Kiss Your Cookies
Prepare dough as directed for basic recipe. Form a ball of chocolate
chip dough around a Hershey's Chocolate Kiss. Roll dough in your hand
to form a ball and bake on cookie sheet for 9-11 minutes at 350.

Amaretto Almond
Substitute 1/2 tablespoon almond extract and 2 tablespoons Amaretto
for the 1 tablespoon vanilla. Add 1 cup sliced almonds plus chocolate
chips to cookie dough. (If you do not want to use liqueur, substitute
1 tablespoon almond extract for the 1 tablespoon vanilla.)

Kahlua Chocolate Chip
Substitute 3 cups milk chocolate chips for the semi-sweet chocolate
chips and substitute 3 tablespoons Kahlua liqueur for 1 tablespoon
vanilla.

Caramel Kings with Nuts
Reduce flour to 2-1/2 cups. Substitute 20 Kraft caramel candy pieces
for the 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips. Chop each caramel into 8
small pieces. Mix chopped caramels with 1 cup chopped nuts and stir
into prepared cookie dough.

Triple Chocolate Delight
Substitute 1 cup milk chocolate chips, 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate
chips and 1 cup white chocolate chips for the 3 cups of semi-sweet
chocolate chips.

Raisinette Dreams
Substitute 2 cups Raisinettes for 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Substitute 1-1/2 cups Reese's Peanut Butter Chips and 1-1/2 cups
semi-sweet chocolate chips for 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips. Add
1 cup chopped peanuts, if desired.

Heath Bar Cookies
Substitute 6 Heath Bars (original or soft and chewy style) for 3 cups
semi-sweet chocolate chips. (Heath Bars come 2 small bars per pack.
Use 3 packs, or 6 small bars.) Cut each bar into 12 pieces before
adding to prepared cookie dough.

Chewy Gooeys
Substitute 10 Kraft caramels and 2 cups large semi-sweet chocolate
chips for the 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips. Cut each caramel
into 4 thin slices before adding to prepared cookie dough.


SOURCE:
Cookies! The Collector's Series/Volume 26
The American Cooking Guild

Gina's Mojo Roast Pork

 This is the best roast pork ever!  It is a family recipe, cuban in origin, and usually includes black beans and garlicy white rice on the side with some of the juice of the pork poured over the beans.  

Ingredients:

Mojo Criollo (Found in your local Hispanic aisle I use Goya brand)

  or make your own Mojo Criollo

6 medium Onions

10-12 garlic cloves

1 cup sour orange juice (you may substitute 1 cup orange juice and 1/8 cup lemon juice)

5 lb Pork butt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

           

Place pork in Dutch Oven fat side up.  Score the fat and stud with ½ of the garlic. (I like to stab holes in the pork and stuff with garlic to further distribute the garlic flavor within the pork).

           

Cut onions into quarters and place in pot with the remaining garlic

Pour the Mojo Criollo into the Dutch Oven and add 1 cup of sour orange juice.

Cook for about 6 hours or until fork tender.

Another method I use:

Ingredients the same, cooking method different.

I cook my pork roast in the crock pot all day long . . . check it periodically until done to your preference.

Coat the bottom of the crock pot with some olive oil and saute onion and garlic in the olive oil until onions are translucent. 

Add the roast with the Mojo Criollo and sour orange juice.

 

The onions liquify and the roast cooks in the onion and garlic juice, along with the marinade, giving it lots of flavor.  It also makes an awesome gravy.

NOTE:  Cooking time depends on your crock pot.  Set on high - cook around 3-4 hours.  Set on low - 8 hours or until done.

Macaroni and Cheese

 

Photo source: Paula Deen

Being married to country boys taught me how to appreciate comfort food. 

I love the Food Network and Ina, the Barefoot Contessa . . . one of my favorite FN shows. She made the most delicious looking macaroni and cheese that has a bit of a twist to it. So I thought I would share it.

I'm also including a macaroni and cheese recipe from Paula Deen . . . my other favorite.  I can't really say one is a favorite over the other. They share the style of comfort food . . . much like I do . . . I've also listed my basic technique for Macaroni and Cheese . . . sorry, you know I'm the type of cook who does not measure anything on my basic recipes.

Gina's Macaroni and Cheese

I make my macaroni and cheese from scratch, but I don't measure anything. It is a combination of what these other ladies do . . . I guess you could use their measurements as a guide.

I make a roux of flour and butter as a base . . . add half and half (I use fat free) or milk and whisk over heat until I get the desired consistency. Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste . . . add cheddar cheese (I use a medium sized package of shredded cheese) . . . stir until smooth.

Pour over cooked macaroni.

NOTE:

When my tomato plants yield lots of tomatoes and
I have an abundance of tomatoes, I also cut up
tomatoes into the mixture . . . yummy!!

Mac and Cheese
Barefoot Contessa . . . The Food Network

INGREDIENTS:

Kosher salt
Vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 quart milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 ounces Gruyere, grated (4 cups)
8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.

Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.




Creamy Macaroni and Cheese
Paula Deen

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (4 cups cooked)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stuck) butter, cut into pieces
2 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) grated sharp Cheddar cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Boil the macaroni in a 2 quart saucepan in plenty of water until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain. In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. In a slow cooker, combine cheese/butter mixture and add the eggs, sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper and stir well. Then add drained macaroni and stir again. Set the slow cooker on low setting and cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.