A Must Have Cookbook in the Puerto Rican Kitchen

Although I like to experiment will all kinds of foods my roots of course are in Puerto Rico.  I grew up eating rice and beans with a side of meat and loved it.  When I went off to live on my own I took my mothers cookbook “Cocina Criolla”.  The spine was broken and the recipes were old fashion…..like everything has to be made from scrach, there was no can of this or can of that.  Unfortunatly I had to put the book to rest because it was falling apart……well to be honest I think I lost it in a move.  I was excited to find an updated edition on Amazon.com.  Cocina Criolla is the Spanish version, Puerto Rican Cookery is the English version. 

If you are interested in Puerto Rican cuisine I highly recommend this book, it is what I grew up on it and no other cookbook has compared to it.  This is what I call down home cooking.

Puerto Rican Cookery (English Version)

 

 

Cocina Criolla (Spanish Version)

 

Creamy One Pot Pasta

I had a Pampered Chef show not too long ago and I love their stuff….I’m posting the recipe we made that night, it was YUMMY YUMMY and it made a great left over.  I added some chicken to mine.

Creamy One Pot Pasta

The Pampered Chef Creamy One Pot Pasta

4 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 jar (7 oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, undrained
3 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken broth (5 1/4 cups)
1 lb uncooked penne pasta
1 head broccoli (2 cups small florets)
2 medium carrots, peeled
4 oz reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
Grated fresh Parmesan cheese and snipped fresh basil (optional)

Thinly slice garlic using Paring Knife. Place garlic and 1 tbsp oil from sun-dried tomatoes into (8-qt.) Stockpot.

Cook garlic over medium heat 2-3 minutes or until garlic is golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat; add broth. Return to burner; increase heat to high.

Cover and bring to a boil. Stir in pasta; cover and simmer vigorously 8-10 minutes or until pasta is almost cooked but still firm, stirring occasionally .

Meanwhile, cut broccoli into small florets; place Bowl. Cut carrots in half lengthwise; thinly slice crosswise on a bias.

Drain sun-dried tomatoes; pat dry with a paper towel. Slice tomatoes into thin strips. Add carrots and tomatoes to bowl.

Cut cream cheese into cubes. Add vegetables, cream cheese, salt and black pepper to Stockpot.

Stir until cream cheese is melted and fully incorporated. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook an additional 2-4 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Serve immediately.

If desired, top with grated fresh Parmesan cheese and snipped fresh basil.

Yield: 6 servings

Nutrients per serving: Light: Calories 410, Total Fat 11 g, Saturated Fat 4 g, Cholesterol 15 mg, Carbohydrate 65 g, Protein 15 g, Sodium 1000 mg, Fiber 5 g

Ensalada de Bacalao (Cod Fish Salad)

 

Ensalada de Bacalao

Last night I made one of my husband’s favorites and a traditional Puerto Rican dish.  It is called Ensalada de Bacalao, which translates to Cod Fish Salad.  Now you can’t use just any cod fish, it has to be the dried out, salt preserved cod fish, which I have only found at my local “bodeja”. Unfortunately the picture above is borrowed.  It is the closest representation of what I make looks like, but if you want to try another version with peppers go here.

It looks something like this:

Bacalao (Cod Fish)

Ingredients:

1 – 1 1/2 lbs of Salted Cod Fish

1 large Spanish onion, sliced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 medium tomato, seeded & diced

3 hard boiled eggs

1 cup olive oil

1/3 cup of vinegar

1/4 cup stuffed green olives (you can add more if you like)

Salt & Pepper to taste

                                                    Diced Avocado (optional)

 

1. Wash the cod fish under running water and remove all the salt off.  Then put is to boil in a pot of water for about 30 mins.  Then change the water and and boil for another 20 mins.  Towards the end of boiling drop in the eggs and let them cook. Once the fish is finished drain it and shred it. 
2. When the fish done , heat the olive oil and vinegar in a sauce pan and saute the sliced onions, garlic & olives with fish.  Cook until onions are translucent. 
3. When done set aside in a bowl & let cool.
4. When onions & fish have cooled toss in diced tomatoes, eggs & avocado.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  You shouldn’t need too much salt.

I usually serve this will boiled yucca (cassava root) and green bananas with some olive oil drizzled over them.  If you boil the yucca and green bananas remember to add some salt, I forget sometimes. This is a yummy meal and it keeps well in the refrigerator for a few days, in fact I think it is better the second day. 

Malta India

 When I cook this I will also usually go out and get a 6 pack of Malta India.  Now I will say that my experience with malta is that if you did not grow up on it your probably not going to like it.  I would say it is an acquired taste.  I LOVE it especially on a hot day. 

What is Malta? Malta is a type of soft drink. It is a carbinated malt beverage, meaning it is brewed from barley, hops, yeast, and water much like beer; corn and caramel color may also be added. Malta is non-alcoholic.  It is also a treat when you mix it with some evaporated milk. Yum!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yummy Zucchini Snack

I have discovered another easy yummy way to prepare zucchini.  You might be starting to wonder if I am zucchini obsessed but I assure you I’m not I am just a big fan and excited to find new ways to make it.  Today I happened upon a Zucchini Salad with Yogurt on “Almost Turkish Recipes”.  I decided to experiment and whip it up for lunch today.  At first I was apprehensive because I admit I thought zucchini and yogurt was a weird combo, but it was YUMMY!  Check it out! It was scrumptious!  In the recipe you have to squeeze the excess water from the zucchini but to make it easier I use a cheese cloth to squeeze the water out.  Also, I substituted the walnuts for pecans and it was perfect! I may make myself another.

Zucchini and Yogurt Salad on Toast

The Kitchn

I have discovered a new website/blog and I LOVE IT!  The Kitchn “inspiring cooks, nourishing homes” is their “slogan”.  It is fabulous! It is updated daily with new recipes that just entice you to do some experimenting in your kitchen.  They also have slide shows of different kitchen, “kitchen tours”, along with interesting items for your home.  I recommend you check it out and see what you may end up whipping up in your kitchen.    Tonight I am going to try the Lemony Ricotta Pasta with Basil, I will let you know how it turns out. Yummy!

What’s for Dinner?

Grilled Chicken, Corn on the Cob & Zucchini Salad

I was killing some time today at work surfing through some blogs and I came upon a reciepe for a zucchini salad on another blog “Threat Trace”.  Hubby and I are big fans of zucchini and I was excited to find a new and easy way of prepairing it.  It was very refreshing and yummy, we enjoyed it very much.  With the zucchini salad I grilled chicken thighs and corn on the cob.  I brushed the chicken thighs with a mix of olive oil, oregano, garlic powder, sea salt and pepper.  For the corn on the cob i just sprayed it with olive oil and rolled it in sea salt and garlic powder.  I grilled them both on a low heat and turned them periodically.  It turned out super yummy!  It is still a little hot here in Florida to be standing in front of a grill, but it was worth it.

It had been awhile since I had cooked a good meal.  Buster was hoping to get a bite, praying for scraps to fall on the floor.

Buster hoping for scraps

OMG! Top Chef?

I have just found out this morning that Top Chef is coming to Tampa…Ybor Fresh City Market to be exact.  I am so excited.  I LOVE THAT SHOW and one of my favorites, Richard Blais, will be in Ybor doing demonstrations! If I am lucky we will even get to try some of their food! (Doing happy dance, resembles The Running Man.) 

The first show is at 10:00 am and it is first come first serve basically so, I am planning on being there early, maybe 8:30?  To early? 

Anyways I loved this show it was freaking awsome and yes there were alot of time I had no clue what they were talking about, but I didn’t care.  It inspired me to cook and experiment.  It made me what to go an buy out a William & Sonoma…although I knew that was not an option.  If you have never seen this show I would highly recommend it….but if you are thinking of going to the demonstration in Ybor….that is fine but you better be behind me in line….;)

I am going to see Top Chef….(again doing a happy dance)