Halloween Spider Cookies

In need of a cute and easy treat for your next Halloween?  Have no fear, spider cookies are here.  With a very minimal list of ingredients, this is a fun recipe to make with the kids.

Ingredients:

Peanut butter cookie mix

Rolo chocolates

Chocolate Twizzlers or black shoe string licorice 

Reeses Pieces candy

I do not like black licorice but found these chocolate Twizzlers very yummy!

I cut each Twizzler in half with kitchen shears and then made legs in the size I wanted. 

You can purchase the mini Reese Pieces or the regular size.  I used regular in the pictures below.  

Prepare the peanut butter cookie mix according to the package.  Make sure to flatten cookie balls with fork tines, in a cross cross design (sorry for not having a pic).  Bake as directed.

Once cookies are done and still hot, place Rolo chocolate on top of each cookie.  Doing this will help melt chocolate enough to allow the licorice legs and Reeses eyes to stick. Place 4 pieces of licorice on each side of the Rolo chocolate and place two Reeses for the eyes. Dot eyes with a black icing dot if you like and then you are... done!

Happy Baking!  I hope you like!

My Go To Seasonings

Here is a little peek into my spice cabinet.  For as long as I can remember I have been using all of the items below in different combinations.  Along with these spices I always keep fresh garlic and onion on hand because they always make any dish taste good.  For chicken, beef, and pork I usually make a marinade using a combination of a few items out of all the photos below.  Don't be afraid of them!

These are must haves in my cabinet.  If ever I am out of the fresh onion and garlic I have the powder as a back up.  Salt and pepper are very basic and are usually in all my dishes.  Then I use either oregano or rosemary, at times both.

Here is where I get my little hispanic flair.  Most of us who grew up in a hispanic household know what importance these items are in many dishes, from chicken to rice. Some for flavor others for color. (Note: Use the Bijol and Annatto in very small amounts.)

To make my marinade I usually use one or two of the liquids below.  No matter what combination you use they always seem to compliment each other.

There is no rhyme or reason in how I mix the items above.  These are great as starters and you can't go wrong.  Challenge yourself and start with one item out of every picture and season a basic chicken breast.  You will see how delicious the result and it will motivate you to try something different next time.

Crock-pot Pork Stew

Here is another easy peasy recipe.  I have my hubby's seal of approval on this and I know it's true because he kept going back for more.

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs of pork, chunked

marinade of choice

2-3 tbsp olive oil

2 carrots, chopped

4 potatoes, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

1 small can of tomato sauce

1/2 c. red wine

2 cups beef broth

water as needed

Marinade pork chunks over night in marinade if possible.  I had some left over marinade that consisted of garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, and hoisin sauce.  

When ready, brown pork chunks in large pot with olive oil.

While that browns, place chopped carrots, potatoes, and celery in the crock pot.

When pork is nice and brown, place over the veggies.

Poor tomato sauce and wine over everything.

Add beef broth last.  Make sure you add enough liquid (more broth or water)  to cover pork.   Let cook for 4-6 hours on high.

My apologies for not capturing the finished product but believe me it was GOOD!  My guests had multiple servings.  The pork was very tender and fell apart.  Left overs tasted better the following day.

Buen provecho!

 

 

Loaded Scrambled Eggs

This is an easy, "work with what you got" type of recipe.  Mix up the veggies with anything you have in your produce drawer of your fridge.  I love scrambled eggs but lately I have been trying to add as many veggies as I can to my meals.  

Ingredients:

1 tbsp butter

1/2 onion, chopped

1/3 red bell pepper, chopped

1 squash, chopped

salt

pepper

Add butter to pan and melt.

Add onions and cook for 3-5 minutes, until soft.

While onions are cooking, beat eggs in separate bowl.  Add salt and pepper.

Add rest of veggies to the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes.

Add egg mixture to pan and immediately mix all together until egg is cooked.

I like to turn off the heat once the eggs begin to take shape and are still wet looking.  The remaining heat from the pan finishes them off a bit more.

We topped the eggs off with a little avocado, homemade pico de gallo, and cilantro.  Add more salt pepper to taste if needed.

Simple and fast.  Plus very filling.  Enjoy!

Avocado Salad

Here is a recipe that is quick and easy.  It doesn't hurt that it's healthy too.  My hubby was gifted two humongous avocados on his last trip and to my happy kitchen it arrived.  Where we live we really don't see them this big and nice so you know I was excited.

Ingredients:

1 large avocado

2-3 roma tomatoes

1/2 red onion, sliced thinly

2-4 tbsp of olive oil

1/2 lime

salt

pepper

cilantro

Cut up avocado, tomatoes, onion and place in bowl.

Pour olive oil over ingredients.  Add salt & pepper to taste and then squeeze lime over everything.  Mix all the ingredients.  Add cilantro.

We ended up adding sauteed shrimp to it and it was delish!  I like my salad a little on the tangy side so I used the whole lime.  Hubby thought it was too much but I really enjoyed it.  

The avocado was so big we had left over.  I sealed it nice and tight and hope it doesn't turn brown too fast because I want to eat what's left, over a warm corn tortilla, yummy!

Enjoy!

Hubby's Every Season Lemonade

Who doesn't love a tall glass of lemonade?  In our house we all do.  It's not just for the summer but more like all year round.  My hubby is the expert lemonade maker and has finally given me his recipe.   We make very large batches so feel free to cut the recipe in half if you need to.  Maybe drinking this lemonade will help us this cold & flu season.  Lets see!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. lemon & lime juice (approximately 6 lemons & limes,  we like to mix both)

14 cups water

2 - 2 1/2 c. cane sugar (we like it tangy, so we use 2 cups)

Squeeze all lemons and limes, we use a cheaper version of this citrus juicer that I found at a discount store.

Add juice and water to pitcher and mix.  Then add sugar.  Simple as that.  I know there's not much to it but I love this formula, we even add the pulp.  The cane sugar makes the juice turn brown which I know makes a difference in taste to me.  The pitcher below holds a pretty good amount of liquid, 4 quarts.  We have enough to last a few days. 

Enjoy!

Yuca Con Mojo - Cassava with Garlic & Onion Sauce

Here is another taste of home that is great for a side dish.  Any left overs that are not too mushy can be pan fried the next day to make Yuca Fries.  Yummy!

Ingredients:

2 lbs. of frozen yuca

4-6 tbsp olive oil

10-12 cloves garlic, add more if you like

1/2 medium red onion

2-3 limes (or vinegar)

Sea salt

Pepper

Place frozen yuca in small pot.

Cover with enough water to reach 1-2 inches above yuca.  Salt to taste.  Boil on medium heat for 40 minutes.  Test for doneness by inserting fork into a piece.  If tender, Yuca is done.  Drain and set in a bowl.

To make the Mojo heat olive oil in pan.  Add garlic and onions being careful not to burn the garlic or let it turn green.   Once soft add juice of one lime.  Turn heat off and add second lime.  You can add more lime if you like it really tangy.

Pour Mojo over the yuca and enjoy!

Buen provecho!

Arrocera Arroz Con Gandules - Rice Cooker Rice with Pigeon Peas

Rice, how yummy it is!  Arroz con gandules is very customary in my family especially since my Dad is from Puerto Rico.  I can eat this instead plain white rice anytime!  I have even made it with brown rice and it turns out just as good.  Any time I want a little piece of home, I make it.  I always make this in my rice cooker and that is partially due to the intimidation I have of making it in the traditional caldero.  Yes, everyone tells me, "But it super easy!" but I just like to set it and forget it.  So this works for me.

Ingredients:

3 tbsp olive oil

4-6 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 medium onion

1/3 c. green bell pepper

1/3 c. red bell pepper

Salt

Pepper

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 packet of Sazon Goya (with Culantro & Achiote)

1 14 oz. package of frozen gandules (15 oz can can be used instead)

1/2 can tomato sauce

3 cups of long grain rice, rinsed

3 cups of water

*Note:  You can make different variations of this by changing or adding a few ingredients.  I like to add chorizo or bacon at times to give it a little more flavor.  Or change the gandules for kidney beans.  Feel free to experiment!

Preheat large pan and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Once hot add garlic and onion, stir and cook for 3-5 minutes on medium heat.  

Add both bell peppers, stir and cook 3-5 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add Sazon packet and bouillon cube. Stir.

Add tomato sauce and gandules (pigeon peas) and mix.  Let heat through.

*** Since I used frozen pigeon peas which had no liquid I added a little of chicken broth to add a bit of moisture. If you use the canned stuff you don't need to do this step.***

This is the measuring cup that came with my rice cooker.  It seems a bit smaller than your normal measuring cup.  Measure 3 cups of rice and rinse.  Once clean, add the water.  Salt to taste and add a tablespoon of olive oil.

Once stove mixture has come to boil, add to rice and water.  Stir.

Place container into your rice cooker, close lid, and press start.

Once the cooker beeps rice is done.  I let it sit closed an additional 5 minutes before I stir it.

Major reason why i like doing it this way is that I don't have to watch the clock or set a timer and I can continue to make the rest of the meal.  Oh, it doesn't hurt that I can't burn it this way!  The only thing that it doesn't do is make "pegao" which is the crispy layer at the bottom of the caldero when you make it on the stove.  I personally never like "pegao" but I have heard family members literally fight over it.

Buen provecho!