Island of Madeira

Being from Portugal, the situation in Madeira is truly devastating. On Saturday, February 20th, 2010 Madeira witnessed devastating floods and mudslides on the island of Madeira. As of now almost 40 people died and quite a few are still missing. After a long search online looking for a site where I could donate, I was out of luck. So until I find an organization that will accept donations I decided to create a post with links to the foods of Madeira:

www.guia-madeira.net/madeira/gastronomia/food.html

www.madeiraguide.com/restaurants_recipes.php

www.gastronomias.com/portugal/madeira.html

Crockpot beef stroganoff

As I bought the Round cut of pot roast on sale I was wondering what I could do for an easy middle of the week meal that would be just as tasty as something that would have taken my half a day. As I was checking out the pantry I noticed I had a package of beef Stroganoff powder mix. So that is what I went for.

INGREDIENTS

1 beef pot roast
1 packet of beef Stroganoff powder mix
4 cups of sliced bella mushrooms
1 cup of beef stock

DIRECTIONS

1. Put all ingredients  onto the crockpot on low for 7 hours
2. Serve with egg noodles

Now how simple could this be?

Strawberry Jello

I made this the first time for my daughter's daycare Valentine's Party. Again this was a recipe I changed from a friend right here from WI. What I like about it is that it is very easy and fast to make and no food colorants!

INGREDIENTS

4 packages of unflavored Knox gelatin
3 cups of strawberry / banana juice - you can choose whatever juice you want
1 cup of the same juice
2 cups of strawberries (I used organic frozen strawberries)
1/2 cup of organic vanilla ice cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Dilute the gelatin with the 1 cup of juice
2. Warm the 3 cups of juice in the microwave
3. Chop the strawberries finely
4. Add the warm water to the gelatin and use the whisk and mix in a fast motion
5. Add the strawberries and the ice cream
6. put the mixture into a 9x13 pan and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours

Frango à Brás - Portuguese chicken with potato sticks

This is a typical Portuguese recipe I grew up with. Our family does not care much for chicken breast. We all go for the dark meat. So this is the perfect recipe to finish up that white meat no-one will eat. Another benefit is that the chicken breast of just on chicken will feed 4 to 5 people!

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp of olive oil
Chicken Breast left over - all shredded into small pieces
6 eggs
1 medium onion cut in finely slices
3 cup of potato sticks
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Warm the olive oil in a skillet
2. Sautee the sliced onions until golden
3. Add the chicken and turn it a few times mixing it well with the onions
4. Beat the eggs (you can add a little milk if desired)
5. Add the potato sticks onto the skillet
6. Add the eggs and remove from heat
7. Mix well with a wooden spatula until well cooked

SUGGESTION

You can add some cilantro leaves and black olives to decorate the plate.

Carne de Porco Assada - Portuguese Baked Pork Loin

There are various ways of doing a baked Pork loin in the oven. This is one that is pretty easy. Serve it with some homemade or organic mac and cheese mixed in with veggies and kids will be happy. 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup of olive oil

1 tbsp of paprika

4 cloves of minced garlic

1/2 cup of red wine

4 bay leaves

salt & pepper to taste

1 pork loin

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix all of the seasonings together and add them to the pork loin
2. Leave in marinated for at least 2 hours
3. Put the Pork loin in a pyrex and in the oven at 375 for about 1 hour
4. Turn it every 20 minutes
5. Broil on low for another 20 minutes

Enjoy!

Cucumbers with cream cheese and smoked salmon

This could not be easier to make, is a very healthy appetizer and kids love it.

INGREDIENTS

1 cucumber
1 package of smoked salmon
1 package of low fat cream cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut slices of cucumber
2. Add a little cream cheese on top of each slice of cucumber
3. Add the smoked salmon on top

SUGGESTIONS

You can also use chive cream cheese or add some spices or herbs to the plain one.

Chocolate covered fruit

Just on time for Valentine's Day, here is a favorite one to do it with your kids. I love making this anytime we have guests over. Children love this. 

INGREDIENTS

12 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup of milk

2 tbsp of butter

all types of fruits such as strawberries, kiwi, oranges, banana, mango, grapes

wax paper

DIRECTIONS

1. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter
2. Once the chocolate and butter are well melted and mixed add the milk and stir it until you get a nice creamy consistency
3. Spread wax paper on the table and start dipping each piece of fruit onto the chocolate and lay it on the wax paper
4. Once the chocolate hardens, start decorating a serving plate with all of the fruit

Broiled Yellow Snapper with sunflower sprouts

I realize that many people feel a little grossed out when they see a fish with its head on. Some of us actually enjoy eating part of it, but even if you do not, cook it with its head on as it helps keeping the moisture of the fish.

INGREDIENTS

1 Yellow or Red snapper

2 cups of sunflower sprouts

1/2 cup of olive oil

1 cup of white wine

4 cloves of minced garlic

1 chopped onion

2 diced tomatoes

6 boiled potatoes cut in small pieces

salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Add the olive oil to the pyrex
2. Place the snapper in the pyrex
3. Add all of the ingredients over the fish apart from the potatoes
4. Place it in the oven at 320 for about 15 minutes
5. Add the potatoes then put it at low broil for about 10 more minutes or until potatoes are golden

Bolo de bolacha maria - Portuguese Maria cookies cake

Let me start by saying if I can find Maria cookies here in the Midwest, they MUST be selling them everywhere. As some of you do know baking is not my specialty, even though I must say I am getting better at it (or perhaps more patient?).  ALso expect this cake to disappear pretty fast. When I have my tween and teen daughter's friends over I know I have to make two of them or no adult will have a chance at even trying it.

INGREDIENTS

4 oz of heavy cream
2 can (12 oz) of sweet condensed milk
2 sheets of clear jello or two packages- unflavored Knox
2 to 3 packages of Maria cookies - look for them in the Latin American section of your grocery store
1 to 2 cups of expresso

DIRECTIONS

1. Submerge the cans of condensed milk in water and boil for about 1 hour (or if you have a pressure cooker it will take 30 minutes) - Make sure only to open the can once cooled off
2. In a bowl add the jello into a little amount of boiling water
3. Beat the heavy cream until it thickens then slowly add the condensed milk to the point it doubles its volume
4. Meanwhile pass each of the cookies by the expresso coffee
   
5. Once the jello is ready, pour it into the heavy cream and condensed milk and mix it well
6. In a round non-stick form cake create layers of the cookies, then the cream, cookies, cream until no more
7. Put it in the fridge for at least 2 hours
8. Once out of the cake form, sprinkle cookie crumbs over the cake then refrigerate it for about 2 hours before serving
   

Chicken, Andouille and Shrimp Gumbo

So as I said in my last posting I am doing a Gumbo. I found out my dear friends from IA actually sort of follow Emeril's recipe, then I found through halfhourmeals.com a true Louisiana lady who also had an interesting recipe in her blog "First, Make a Roux". If you are new at making a Gumbo, I would seriously check her blog as she has fantastic easy steps as well as hints to follow. So those two were my inspiration.

INGREDIENTS 
Chicken stock
1 carcass of a broiled chicken
Water
2 bay leaves
1 tsp of peppercorn
1 sliced carrot
1 onion

Veggies
2 onions finely minced
2 stalks of celery finely chopped
2 red bell peppers finely chopped
8 cloves of garlic finely minced

Roux
2 cups of flour
1 cup of oil
Fat from the andouille sausage

Meats
1 whole chicken cut into small pieces
8 andouille sausages in slices
4 cups of shrimps

Seasonings
5 tbsp Creole seasoning
2 tsp chillies
4 bay leaves

For the final day
1/2 cup of chopped green onions
1/2 cup of chopped parsley
1/2 cup of cilantro leaves
filé powder

DIRECTIONS
Day 1

1. Create the chicken stock with all ingredients for it. Let it simmer for about 2 hours
2. In a dutch oven or a cast iron pot, sauté the andouille sausage at medium heat
3. Remove the andouille slices and let them stand on a paper towel
4. In the fat of the andouille sausage, sauté the chicken pieces seasoned with creole seasoning
5. Remove chicken and leave the fat in the pot

Day 2

1. Warm up the pot and add the oil
2. Warm up again the chicken stock
3. Add the flour to the cast iron pot and mix it well to create the roux for about 10 minutes at medium heat. You should get a color between dark peanut butter and chocolate
4. Once you have a nice smooth roux add the veggies and sauté them in the roux for about 7 minutes
5. Slowly add the hot chicken stock
6. Keep on mixing well and bring the temperature to medium high
7. Add the meats and seasoning apart  from the filé powder and the shrimps
8. Let it simmer for about 2 hours then leave it overnight in the fridge

Day 3

1. Place the Gumbo back into simmer for about 3 to 4 more hours, check if need for more seasoning 
2. Add the green onions, parsley and shrimps in the last 30 minutes of simmering
3. Serve it in a bowl with white rice and filé powder on top

Enjoy and Go Saints! 

Pasta with ground chorizo and scallops

This recipe started because I had some ground chorizo to finish up prior to its expiration date. I kept on looking around the fridge and freezer and came up with this recipe. It actually came out pretty good if  I may say so myself.

INGREDIENTS
1 bag of frozen scallops
1/2 pound of ground chorizo
1/2 minced onion
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 red pepper
1 cup of heavy cream
salt & pepper to taste
1 bag of penne

DIRECTIONS

1. Set the skillet at medium heat and add the ground chorizo
2. Then add the onions and garlic and keep on turning with a wooden spoon
3. Meanwhile start cooking the penne in water until al dente
4. Once chorizo is starting to brown add the scallops and peppers for about 7 minutes
5. Turn the heat off and add the heavy cream
6. Serve on top of the cooked pasta

Feast for Super Bowl 2010

Any reason for a party and to cook right? Well to me it is. And Super Bowl is no exception. So I have been trying to come up with ideas of foods to make and I believe I have it.

Did you know this year Mardi Gras is real early? Yes... February 16th, two days after Valentine's. Ok.. you ask me... what does this have to do with Super Bowl... Well for one I was trying to come up with a main dish (something heavy that fills many mouths. Second, Mardi Gras coming up, how about that for inspiration, then it dawned on me... The Saints.. yes.. they are from New Orleans (can you tell I am a foreigner?)... and I want them to win! Ok, where can I find a good recipe from down there? Ahhh a good friend from Iowa. He and his wife LOVE new Orleans, dream of one day moving there and are devout cooks and "eaters" of that food. I know he has to have a recipe.

So here is the menu:
Pipis - Spicy and garlicky chicken gizzards
Shrimps in garlic and cilantro sauce
Cheese and meat dip
Platter of cheeses
Platter of crudites
Stuffed Mushrooms
Stuffed Jalapeños with CrabMeat
My Spicy Wings
Rissois de Camarao - Shrimp Pastries
Tomato and mozzarella salad
Cucumber with cream cheese and smoked salmon
Gumbo
My Sis Chocolate Mousse
Portuguese Cookie Cake

As I will make all these recipes I will be posting them as well as adding photos!

What are your plans for Super Bowl? Having a party? What are you cooking?