lentejas lentil soup

Lentejas lentill soup

2 cups of rinsed lentills, let them drain

1 onion diced, chopped, 3 cloves of garlic chopped and diced

1 package of bacon, i use turkey bacon, diced up as well

with onions and garlic and bacon season your pot with 2 tablespoons of olive oil run on medium high heat and saute until onions are golden and bacon is cooking approximately 5 minutes add a pinch of kosher salt and pepper

chop up two large potatoes or one bag of small potatoes cubed

saute the potatoes in the cooked onion mixture, bacon is optional

add the lentils

1 cup of lentils need 3 cups of broth, if you do not have broth use a bouillon cube to your 6 cups of water, and if you have made broth or purchased broth use always low sodium

so add your two cups of lentils saute and then add your liquid

once all in shut your pressure cooker or your pot and with the pressure cooker on a high medium heat bring up to pressure and reduce heat by a little a medium high heat and let sit for 10 minutes if in a pot bring the soup to a boil

once your pressure has built and on medium high heat and the 10 minutes have passed shut it off and let it sit for 10 minutes, if you are pressed for time or just want to move up time run coolwater under sink around the pot to bring down the pressure and then you are able to open up the pot, 

in a non pressure cooker way bring to a boil and once boiling bring down temperature to a medium high and let it simmer for a half hour

once these steps are done add your last cup of broth and stir no need to worry about the temperature for it is very hot and your last cup of broth will heat up quickly.

let is simmer or sit for a few minutes prior to serving

you may top off your soup with either crispy bacon, serve with a salad, grill cheese or by itself and you have a quick healthy dinner

ENJOY

limon granizado

Limon Granizado

6 lemons, you will squeeze out to produce 1 1/2 cups of juice

2 oranges to obtain 1 cup of juice, or you can use 1 cup of store bought orange juice

approximately 1 cup of sugar, i usually use less, for this is usually tart and if you use orange juice it has enough sugar as well

3 cups of wate

some lemon rind as well 

put all in a pot over medium heat and boil for approximately 5 minutes

let it cool completely, distribute in ice trays and freeze over night or during the day

place ice cubes in glasses with lemon aid to assist you in dissolving the cubes so you can crush them with a spoon so it will be like a slushie

you may also do this in a blender, remember do not put too much lemon aid enough to aide you crush the ice, as if you were going to make a slushie or a frozen margarita

serve and of course

ENJOY

tortilla espanola, spanish omelet

Tortilla A La Española 

Spanish Omelet

olive oil you will use approximately 8 tablespoons in the duration of the cooking process

4 large potatoes, i have them pre cooked, par boiled, but you can have them raw, takes a little longer to do the whole process

6 large egges beaten with skim milk, well beatened so the yolk and whites are a smooth yellow mixture.

1 large onion diced well

heat up a pan approximately 6 to 8 inches in diameter

heat up with 2 tablespoons of olive oil

add the onion and potatoe mixture in layers start first with onions and alternate with the potatoes, use kosher salt, a pinch in between layers 

you can add optional, diced peppers or cured spanish salami or herbs.

suatee until potatoes are soft if using raw potatoes and golden brown, you will mix during the whole time.

you may want to add another 2 tablespoons of olive oil for it will be absorbed by the potatoe during the whole process

once the onion and potatoe are cooked and golden brown add another tablespoon or two of olive oil prior to adding the egg mixture.

add the egg mixture stir with a spatula and make sure the omelet is covered, no potatoe should be seen, let it cook,

you will be cooking the whole time on a medium high heat

once you see that the egg is settled, the center will still have a jiggle, not fully cooked look to it, and you will be able to run a spatula around the diameter of the pan and see that the egg is set, once you see this it is ready to flip

flip on a wider plate than the pan, after you flip add another 2 tablespoon to the pan and drain the liquid onto the pan prior to sliding the rest of the omlet.

once you add the omlet let it settle and cook until set on medium heat for another 5 to 8 minutes.

flip once done and ENJOY

mini chocolat ganache cupcakes

Mini CupCakes with Ganache Frosting

oven preheated at 325℉

in a bowl have 2 ounces, (1/4 cup) of semi/bitter sweet chocolate, that is chopped or in chips

1/4 cup of light brown sugar and 1/4 cup of dutch unsweetened cocoa powder mix these  ingredients with 1/4 cup of hot brewed coffee.

whisk until chocolate is made smooth, you may need to add mixture to microwave for 15 seconds if you see that the chips have not melted and smoothed out, set aside to cool to room temp

whisk 1/2 cup of unbleached flour and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, with 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

in another bowl whisk an egg with an egg yolk 1/4 cup of vegetable oil 1/4 of low fat yogurt or you may use buttermilk, and 1 teaspoon of you flavored liqour or vanilla extract, 

whisk the two wet ingredients until smooth and add the flour mixture, using a 1 to 2 tablespoon scoop place in a prepared 24 cup mini cup cake pan that has been lined with cup cake paper

once filled cook in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean, let them cool completely while you make the frosting.

make the frosting while they bake place 2 tablespoon, of unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons of light corn syrup, 1 cup of heavy cream, bring to a simmer almot boiling point and add the 8 ounces of semi sweet chopped chocolate chips approximately 1 cup, remove from heat and whisk till smooth, once smooth place bowl in a bowl that is prepared with ice water, and in the 15 minutes this is resting whisk so that the sides do not get hard, whisk from time to time until the ganache is smooth like frosting so you can decorate the cupcakes that are cooled.

decorate each cupcake and ENJOY!

pizza dough

Pizza dough

3 cups of luke warm water approximately 100℉ place in a large bowl

add 2 tablespoons of olive oil with 1 tablespoon of sugar with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt with 1 1/2 tablespoon of granulated yeast

mix these ingredients with a wooden spoon once mixed add the flour in stages for this dough makes 4 thin crust large pizza and the dough gets heavy if you add all the flour at once.

add 1 cup of whole wheat flour mix and then we will be adding 5 1/2 cups of unbleached flour at least 2 cups at a time or until alls is mixed well.

once you have mixed it all well, you will gather the dough in the same dish and lightly cover it, let it sit in a cool area to rest for approximately an hour and then you will notice that it has increased in size, after that hour you may use it or let it rest over night in the fridge, you may use this dough for pizza over several nights, just take a grape fruit size dough amount for each pizza.

once you have let your pizza rest and are ready to use it, reshape the whole dough with floured hands and then you can cut into quarters, each quarter will be the size of a grapefruit, prepare the counter with flour to roll out, preheat oven to 425℉ while you prepare the dough, place the dough on a pizza sheet that has been dusted with corn meal so that the pizza can slid off onto a pizza stone that has been pre heating in the oven.

Add your favorite toppings, tomato sauce with cheese, mushrooms, onions and hamburger meat, the hamburger meat should be prepared on a pan until cooked through and cooled prior to topping the pizza, slide the pizza onto the heated pan and cook for about 12-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown and center is bubbling hot.

Serve and ENJOY

chocolat chip cookie pie

chocolate

 chip cooke pie

have a home made pie crust, found at cocinarista cook on you tube or on blogger, pre heat oven to 325℉  

in a 9 inch pie plate place your pie crust in it and crimp,

beat 2 large eggs with 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 cup of brown sugar, packed, with a 1/2 cup of unbleached flour, a pinch of kosher salt and 3/4 cups of softened unsalted butter, beat in a mixer, add 1 cup or so of chocolate chips with 1 cup of walnuts.

place mixed ingredients in the prepared pie crust pan and place in oven, make sure to protect the crimped edges of the pie crust for 1/2 of the baking time, remove tin foil from edges after this to get the edges browned,

you will bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a thin knife comes out clean from center,

serve warm with whip cream, ice cream or my favorite by itself.

ENJOY

Paella

chicken and pork recipe

1 package of chicken thighs deboned and cut into cubes, with a pound of cut up pork loin, 1 and half medium size onion, 3 cups of rice and 6 cups of chicken broth.

a paella pan is preferable.

to make the broth cut de bone the chicken thighs and use the bones, onions and garlic and sauté in a pot with kosher salt and pepper with a package of goya chicken flavor, add the 6 cups of water cook for 30 min., drain and use the broth for the paella if not use box low sodium chicken broth.

sauté onions on paella pan for 5 min till translucent, add pork cook till slightly golden outside of meat then add chicken and cook the outside only, you do not want to over cook the meat for it will get tough.  Once the meat has been seasoned add the rice and saffron toss to coat the rice add kosher salt and then add your broth with a cup of peas.  Bring it to a boil and cook for 20 min, you may want to cover loosely with tin foil, once you see only a little bit of broth, after 20 min you will cook the last 10 min in a 350 degree oven, serve with Sangria and ENJOY.

Banana bread

Pan de platano

2 ripe bananas, 1 egg, (1/4 cup of yogurt optional), 1/3 cup of milk, 1/4 cup of oil 1 tsp of salt and 1 tbspn of baking powder,

mix all these items together 

add 1 or 3/4 cups of sugar, mix, fold in 2 cups of unbleached flour, after this you have a base of banana bread, you can add any type of chip or nut or dried fruit and fold in,

if you want you can add a crumble in the middle of your batter, when you add your batter to a prepared oiled bread pan, add half batter, lay a mix of brown sugar, chocolate chips or cinnamon chips with nuts or died fruit, add the rest of the batter on top and add a little bit of the brown sugar/chip/nut on top.  

bake at a well heated oven of 350 for approx. an 45 min to an hour or until a cake tester, knife or toothpick comes out clean.  cool pop out of pan and 

ENJOY

chocolat pie dough

in a food processor, or by hand with a pie crust hand blade as well, add 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder 3 1/2 cups of granulated sugar 1 tsp of kosher salt and 1 1/4 cups plus 1 tbspn of flour, i use unbleached, and blend, add 6 tbspns of unsalted butter and 2 tbspns of shortening pulse mixture until it is a coarse meal (pea size flour dough) 

let it rest in a bowl mix 1 large egg yolk and 1/2 tsp of apple vinegar  with a 1/4 cup of ice water and add to the processor until combined.

before wrapping up the dough, mix the dough by hand for at times you will see shortening or butter so make it into a ball cut it 4 ways and place each layer one on top of the other and hand blend it well, wrap it up and chill it in the fridge, use this dough for  my chocolate chip cookie pie or for any pie you would like, such as pumpkin or pecan etcccc..

ENJOY

chocolate

 chip cooke pie

have a home made pie crust, found at cocinarista cook on you tube or on blogger, pre heat oven to 325℉  

in a 9 inch pie plate place your pie crust in it and crimp,

beat 2 large eggs with 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 cup of brown sugar, packed, with a 1/2 cup of unbleached flour, a pinch of kosher salt and 3/4 cups of softened unsalted butter, beat in a mixer, add 1 cup or so of chocolate chips with 1 cup of walnuts.

place mixed ingredients in the prepared pie crust pan and place in oven, make sure to protect the crimped edges of the pie crust for 1/2 of the baking time, remove tin foil from edges after this to get the edges browned,

you will bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a thin knife comes out clean from center,

serve warm with whip cream, ice cream or my favorite by itself.

ENJOY

Chocolate Chip cookies (chewy)

sift 2 1/4 cups of unbleached flour, or all purpose flour, with 1 teaspoon or each salt baking powder, and baking soda.

sift these ingredients into a seperate bowl.

in a mixer bowl beat 2 1/2 sticks of butter, or use butter flavored shortening, 

(2 1/2 sticks = 1 and a 1/4 cups of butter).

in the bowl mix the butter with 1 3/4 cups of dark brown sugar, 1/4 cups of granulated sugar and beat until the butter and sugar are a pale yellow, approximately 4 minutes on a  high speed.

once this is beaten add the 2 large eggs, that were in room temperature with 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.

once the wet mixture is well blended on a lower speed, or the flour will go everywhere, add the flour mixture, once well incoporated add 2 cups of chocolate chips.

once done, remove from mixer and with a spatula make sure bowl is well mixed and clean from sides, have the batter rest in the fridge for approximately one hour or over night.

pre heat oven to 375℉ place a tablespoon of batter on pan you should be able to place 12 on one pan and bake for 11-12 minutes you will see the edges golden brown let the cookies rest for 10 minutes and repeat with the rest of the batter 

makes about 4.5 dozen cookies

ENJOY