Tembleque

Tembleque (means jiggly in Spanish) is a typical holiday puertorrican dessert.  Everybody loves Tembleque!  Once again, my grandmother Ita makes the best one, but she is getting older and has not made it for a couple of years, so guess who has stepped in to make the holiday Tembleque…? This dessert is creamy, jiggly and…

White Bean Soup with White Truffle Oil and Pancetta Dust

A few months ago I got an e-mail from my friend Michelle R.  asking me to cook some of my published recipes at a mother and daughter informal lunch in her new home.  After discussing the menu and a convenient date for everyone to attend, the event finally took place a few days ago.  My…

Garlic-Parsley Butter

This butter is one of those easy confections that can make a good dish, delicious; an okay bread, superb.  I use it on bread, for rice, for corn on the cob, over filet mignon, to season chicken, for soups, mashed potatoes, simple pasta dishes, sauteed shrimp, lobster, etc. The possibilities are endless… Enjoy! Garlic-Parsley Butter…

Apple-Almond Tart

Although I live on an island, its hard to find a beachfront restaurant (outside of a hotel) in San Juan due to urbanization as well as construction restrictions.  I adore and respect everything about the ocean and can’t imagine a nicer way to celebrate a special occasion than with lunch or dinner on the beach…

Arroz con Gandules

The Holidays are here and in Puerto Rico this means having a weekly overdose of Arroz con Gandules, pasteles (ground plantain patties filled with stewed pork or chicken), lechón (bbq whole pork), Tembleque (coconut custard) and Coquito (Puertorrican eggnog spiced with rum) in every celebration.  Here, we make any excuse to have a party, so…

Annatto Oil (Aceite de Achiote)

Annatto, the seed of a fruit, is used to give natural color and flavor to certain foods.  It is also used to make products like lipsticks and insect repellent.  Annatto or “achiote” originates from Brazil, but today it is also popular in other countries in Latin American and Asia.  It is soluble in water and…

Thanksgiving Leftovers

Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipe Ideas Here are some ideas of dishes you can make with your Thanksgiving leftovers: Turkey Tacos–  Make delicious turkey tacos by shredding leftover turkey meat.  Add chopped lettuce, cheese and sour cream and of course your favorite hot sauce! Sweet Potato Flan– Add 1 cup of your leftover Sweet Potato Casserole (no…

Ropa Vieja

Ropa Vieja, which means “old clothes” in Spanish, is one of the recipes people ask me for the most.  Years ago, I used to have at hand index cards printed out with my recipes for Risotto Milanese, Mascarpone Cream Sauce, Marinara Sauce and Ropa Vieja, so I didn’t have to write the recipes over and…

My Bouquet Garni

This is my 100th post!!!!!!  I am so happy that I started this journey and even though it takes me a lot of time and effort to share my recipes in this blog every week, it is greatly satisfying and fulfilling (like my Blueberry Pound Cake). Ja, Ja!  For this I am grateful and thank…

Crab Cakes

Who would have thought blogging could have taken me to so many interesting places and led me to connect (and reconnect) with so many fascinating people!  I have made wonderful liaisons in the blogosphere with fellow foodies from all over the world (Australia, Europe, South American, Caribbean, mainland USA, etc.) Locally, I have connected with…