All posts filed under: Baking

Transformed Thanksgiving Leftovers – Turkey Croquettes, Turkey & Gravy Papa Rellenas, and Cilantro Garlic Cream Sauce (3 Recipes)

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I’m one of those people who loves Thanksgiving leftovers. This year I prepared an 18 pound turkey for four people. I know that sounds crazy, but I had a plan. On Black Friday, I firmly placed myself back in the kitchen and created Turkey Croquettes along with Turkey and Gravy Papa Rellenas. I’m not going to say these were easy or quick. They weren’t. They piled up a more than a few more dirty dishes in my sink. They were, however, delicious, hearty, and fun to make! Turkey Croquettes Ingredients (makes 12 croquettes): 2 cups turkey (shredded in a food processor) 3 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup finely diced onion 1/4 cup flour 1 cup milk 1 tablespoon sherry 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1 tablespooon cilantro or parsley Salt 3 eggs 2 cups of breadcrumbs Directions: Melt butter in a pot at medium heat Add in the onion and cook until soft Stir in the flour and cook for two minutes Slowly add in the milk. The sauce should be thick. If it seems thinner, add in …

Spicy Cranberry Sauce

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Hi there! I took a little break, but I’m back!⁣⁣⁣⁣I’ll admit, I’m a fan of canberry (canned cranberry) sauce. It’s a terrible confession, I know. ⁣⁣⁣⁣This year, though, I’ve been craving some fresh, homemade cran. I haven’t made it in years and was reminded of a recipe from my old friend, Travis, who I’ve reconnected with recently. So, I decided to wing it, with his recipe in mind, and the result was fabulous! This cranberry sauce is spicy and flavorful. Enjoy! ⁣⁣⁣⁣• 12 oz fresh cranberries⁣⁣• 1 12 oz can of ginger ale (𝘐 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘥𝘢 𝘋𝘳𝘺 𝘉𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘎𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘈𝘭𝘦)⁣⁣• 1/2 cup orange juice⁣⁣• The zest and juice from 1 orange⁣⁣• 1 cup sugar⁣⁣• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon⁣⁣• 1/2 teaspoon cloves⁣⁣• 1/4 teaspoon allspice⁣⁣⁣⁣𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘪𝘭. 𝘉𝘰𝘪𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝟷𝟸-𝟷𝟻 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘴𝘢𝘶𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺. 𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦. 𝘊𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝟸 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥.⁣⁣

Churros

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I just had to share that a recipe for churros I posted on Instagram (you can follow me there for more frequent recipes, wine and cocktail goodness at @the_wine_muse) was posted in Zulay Kitchen’s blog. You can check it out here: https://www.zulaykitchen.com/blogs/recipe/churros-recipe In the meantime, here is the recipe:⁣• 1 cup water⁣• 2 tablespoons sugar⁣• 1/2 teaspoon salt⁣• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil⁣• 1 cup all-purpose flour⁣• 2 cups oil (for frying)⁣• 1/2 cup white sugar⁣• 2 tablespoons cinnamon ⁣⁣Directions:⁣1. Combine water, 2 tablespoons sugar, salt, and 2 tablespoons oil in a saucepan and bring to a boil. ⁣⁣2. Remove from heat and add the flour. Mix until combined. Let cool, then spoon the dough into a piping bag.⁣⁣3. Heat 2 cups of oil in a pan. Pipe dough in long strips and fry until golden brown. Flip over and fry the other side. ⁣⁣4. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon. Roll the fried churros in the sugar mixture until coated.⁣⁣5. Enjoy!! ⁣

Tres Leches Three Ways

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I’ll make this brief and get on to the recipes. Since I met my husband, I have thoroughly enjoyed diving in Cuban cuisine – “the food of his people,” as he calls it. Tres Leches has become a staple for celebrations for us. No matter the season, it is decadent, delicious, and delightful. So, here is a video tutorial and three recipes for Tres Leches. Enjoy! The Easy Way: 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup white sugar 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 5 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup whole milk 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 3/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan Cream the butter and 1 cup of sugar together until smooth (about 5 minutes) While the butter and sugar are mixing, sift the flour and baking powder together Add eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla to the butter and sugar, and combine thoroughly …

Baking with My Three-Year-Old and Lemon Loaf

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I’ve been baking lately. A lot. I know we’re all supposed to be on the straight and narrow after the holidays, so I’m not sure what’s come over me. Except that my three-year-old keeps making requests. It would be one thing if he constantly requested cookies, but he doesn’t. He wants muffins and different types of loaves. I’m not sure where this is all coming from, but then he wants one more thing: to make them with me. Well, how am I supposed to say no? Baking with my three-year-old is a challenge, to say the least. I would love to tell you that he has natural skills in the kitchen, but he doesn’t. He just wants to do this with me because he sees me in the kitchen all the time. So, I’ve had to figure out what he can do. He likes to stir – it seems this is the basis of baking all things, and that is where I’ve started. I’ve discovered that baking with my toddler is very different from my …

Pumpkin Mascarpone Pie

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With the holidays in full swing, I have pie on my mind. It’s the only time of year I actually make pie. It started when my mom and I would tandem in the kitchen to prepare Thanksgiving dinner. I would find a recipe for some new dessert each year. One year it was caramel apple pie, the next year was chocolate pecan pie, and so on. Then one year I was invited to dinner with my extended family and asked to bring a pumpkin dessert.  As usual, I couldn’t make just a regular pumpkin pie, so I found an enticing recipe from Epicurious for a Pumpkin Mascarpone Pie. Unknown to me at the time, this would become my new tradition. As it turned out, I’ve spent almost every Thanksgiving since with my wonderful extended family, and have brought that pie every time.  However, the pie has evolved! The Pumpkin Mascarpone pie I make now changes slightly each year, depending on my mood. As usual, I never stick to a recipe for long, and this one …

Healthy(ish) Granola

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I’ve always loved granola.  It’s my “go to” for a healthy(ish) breakfast.  I love to mix it with Greek yogurt and fresh berries.  However, it wasn’t until I had a child that I really began to appreciate it.  Oats are magical…especially if you’re nursing.  They’re a natural way to not only get things moving, but also to increase milk output. When my baby was only drinking breast milk, I began to make my own “Boobie Bars.”  I didn’t just eat them for breakfast, I ate them throughout the day.  They were so easy to just pop in my purse and grab any time I needed a snack. I still make Boobie Bars just because they’re great to have around, but now I mostly make simple granola.  Each batch is basically the same, but I like to change it up if I have some fun stuff in my pantry.  My family loves it – especially when I add it to ice cream or pancakes.  Yum!   Ingredients: 4 cups oats 1 cup ground flaxseeds 1 cup …

Dinner Parties with Mom

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My mother always liked a good party, and she was especially fond of the ones she threw herself.  When I was 15, she decided to have a series of dinner parties.  The menu was always the same; the friends rotated.  Needless to say, after a few of these, we got really good at sharing the kitchen.  It felt like a dance, as we weaved around each other to work in tandem to create a delicious meal. Now, my mother always proclaimed she didn’t have a sweet tooth, however she did have one weakness:  chocolate!  For those dinners, we turned to The Los Angeles Times California Cookbook and created the Four-Minute Brownie Pie.  It was an ooey-gooey brownie in a pie shape that we served, fresh out of the oven, with ice cream and hot fudge.  Calling it decadent was an understatement, and that was exactly the tone she wanted for the evening. The meal started with an appetizer of her signature crab dip.  Our guests would gab while munching on the luscious starter and drink …

My Little Valentine

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Valentine’s Day is coming up quickly.  While this traditionally has been a holiday I’ve shrugged off, my husband loves to go all out and give me roses and chocolates.  On one occasion, I got a teddy bear and the flowers.  Last year he gave me custom jewelry with his and my son’s birthstones. Needless to say, he’s changed my attitude about Valentine’s Day.  I wholeheartedly admit I love flowers and candy.  To be given those things from him makes them even more special. Usually I cook him his favorite meal for this holiday.  This year, I decided to do something different. My husband is Cuban.  There is very little that he loves more than a pastelito.  We live walking distance to Porto’s Cuban Bakery, which has all sorts of Cuban and Cuban-inspired treats.  We used to go there all the time.  It’s cheap.  It’s delicious.  The food is fresh.  The coffee is strong.  The lines are…long.  Oh…that’s right.  It usually takes a minimum of an hour to get in and out of Porto’s, even if …

The Versatility of Crepes

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I was catching up on some Top Chef episodes, when was I reminded of one of my all old-time favorite dishes during a “Quick Fire Challenge.”  The segment was centered around Chef Brooke Williamson’s tradition of making Sunday morning crepes with her son.  Of course, it was appropriately sponsored by Nutella…