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Strawberries on Gorgonzola Toast

Yeah, that’s right! Look at those babies, aren’t they gorgeous? As much as I enjoyed the Beets on Gorgonzola Toast these sugar pies take the cake. While I was making the beets I remembered I had strawberries, my taste buds starting talking. Strawberries, gorgonzola, cream, and baguette, whats not to love. These are perfect for the season, perfect for mother’s day, perfect for movie night, just plain perfect.

The strawberries are best at room temperature, nice and fresh. They bring spring/summer into your mouth! The touch of honey and tang of balsamic vinegar are amazeballs. Your mouth will feel like it made out with honeybee, who’s dad is a cow, that just spent the night at the strawberry bar.

Strawberries on Gorgonzola Toast

1 package of fresh strawberries
gorgonzola cream *recipe here*
1 loaf of french baguette
olive oil
honey
balsamic vinegar
your mouth
Make the gorgonzola cream (takes just a few minutes). Slice the baguette into diagonal slices, about 1 inch thick. Brush with some olive oil and toast on a skillet on medium-high heat. You want the slices to toast rather quickly, just give them a nice light brown tan.

Lather on some of the gorgonzola cream, top with a few slices of strawberries, drizzle honey and a splash of balsamic vinegar when ready to eat!

I’m Guest Posting- Twice Baked Pumpkin Potato

Hi Y’all!!! I’ve been given the opportunity to guest post in someone’s blog. I KNOW!! Can you believe it  I’m so happy. It all started with twitter, I LOVE TWITTER! There I met Krista from Budget Gourmet Mom. She is a mom of 4 boys and makes delicious budget friendly meals!

Purple Hash

No, not that kind of hash. Come on, what were you thinking? I’m talking hash browns, delicious purple hash browns. Made from these lovely little purple potatoes. I love those little things. They are so cute, little itty bitty things with a punch of color. Now they don’t taste any different than any other potato, at least not to me. So don’t freak out, k.

Look at these beauties!

I had made this purple hash one weekend way before the move. I made a few other dishes too, just so you wouldn’t forget me. I made them, ate them, well took pictures first, and stored them away for you. There was no way I wasn’t going to blog a little while I sat in a hotel room without a kitchen. Without a kitchen. It’s been a week, without a kitchen, actually 2 weeks. One week here, one week before we left, and I’m itching. Like an addict, I’m itching for a fix, to cook our meals, to cook for you.

I’ve gone cold turkey, and I don’t know what will help me. I do know what doesn’t help, Pinterest and reading all the fabulous blog posts out there. I pin and my mouth waters, my mind wanders thinking when will I get to make that dish. But I pin away so I don’t lose my inspiration. So I don’t forget that little voice in my head that thinks of “recipes”. Now, don’t think I’m been ungrateful. This is a great opportunity, a blessing that we can do what we are doing. But I’m we are creatures of habit, we like our little routine. And I realize everyday how much I enjoy cooking, not the cleaning 😉

Yeah, who likes cleaning? Every time I cook and I glance over at the mess I’ve made, I wish for a little elf. I must say how happy I am that dishwashers exist. Wanna know what else I’m happy for, easy dishes. The purple hash was a fairly easy dish to make. Really, a one pot dish. You just need a grater, oil, and a frying pan. Go easy when you are grating, those teeth are sharp. I still have a little mark on my left thumb from the cut I received while grating those purple potatoes.

Purple Hash with a Fried Egg

1 lb purple potato fingerlings
1 cup of cooking oil
eggs
sour cream
fresh cilantro
Using a grater, grate the potatoes using the large whole side. I grated about 5 potatoes for 1 disc of hash browns (1 serving).

Heat a frying pan on medium heat. Add about 3 tbs of oil, place the hashed potatoes in the center of the pan and flatten into a disc. Let it cook for about 5 minutes before flipping it over. Use a spatula to flip the disc carefully.

Cook the hash for another 5 minutes. Remember, cooking time will vary. If you see that your hash is over browning then lower the heat and taste test a bit. The potatoes cook fairly quickly.

Once the hash is cooked, plate it. Then fry your eggs to your preference.

Place a dollop of sour cream on the hash, and then top with your fried egg. Garnish with a sprig of cilantro, and sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste.

Puerco Asado with Homemade MOJO

You know who was on a roll this weekend? This lady (finger pointing at me). And I say this not because of this “jam“, I say it because I made my very first Puerco Asado without using bottled Mojo (Mo’-ho). Let me say that again, without using bottled Mojo!!! Okay, why the amazement? Mojo is a Spanish liquid concoction of flavors, not a brine because you cook your meat in the marinated juices. It’s main tanginess comes from Naranja Agria (bitter orange), you find those beauties at Hispanic markets. Unfortunately, for me here in Missouri this bitter orange does not exist. So I can’t just make my own Mojo….. or can I???

Now, our dear small local multi-ethnicity market which carries Hispanic products does have bottled Mojo. And I was there on Friday to grab our Cafe Bustelo packs, and other items. I told myself “don’t forget to grab some Mojo”…and what happened, my tush forgot. Yup, so much for that, by the time I remembered I was already at our big chain market grabbing the pork shoulder. Ugh, I was so upset! I really thought the shredded Puerco Asado goodness was no longer going to happen. I walked through their “Ethnic” aisle, no Mojo. I contemplated driving back out to the other market in the morning to pick up the Mojo but then the crucial overnight marinating party wouldn’t take place.

All hope was lost. Here sat a 4 lb Pork Shoulder in my cart, what to do! Then it hit me, bottled lemon juice and vinegar. It should work, I hope it works. Now, maybe one of you reading this may have thought “uh, yeah! why doesn’t she know this?”. I am no foodie, I know nothing about the chemical reaction that occurs when something gets mixed with another. I just know it works, and for recipes like Puerco Asado, I turn to family hand me downs. Recipes that have worked through the years. I sure don’t want to mess up making Puerco Asado. But I pushed through, believing in myself and praying it would work.

It sat marinating overnight. I prayed, and popped it in the oven. By the 3rd hour of roasting the smell in the house was intoxicating. We were hovering over the stove, counting down the time until we got to enjoy that deliciously seasoned, falling apart pork. My “experiment” WORKED! BABY CHEESES, IT WORKED!!! You couldn’t wipe the grin off my face.

4 lb Pork Shoulder (with or without the bone)
1/2 large white onion chopped
6 garlic cloves
2 tbs dried oregano
1 & 1/2 tbs of salt
2 tbs garlic powder
1/2 cup of bottled lemon juice (from concentrate) *correction original post said not from concentrate. The bottled lemon juice is from concentrate.
1/2 cup of white vinegar
*2 qt oven safe glass baking dish or a disposable aluminum baking pan may be used to marinate and roast the pork. *

The pork shoulder should fit comfortably in a 2 qt oven safe baking dish. You want about 1/2 of it to sit in the marinate. Do not submerge the pork shoulder in the marinate. Place the chopped onion on the bottom of your baking dish or pan. Lay the pork shoulder over the onions.

In a measuring cup pour the lemon juice to 1/2 cup, and then complete with 1/2 a cup of vinegar. You should have 1 cup of the lemon/vinegar mixture. Pour over the pork shoulder sitting in the baking dish. Using a sharp knife, create wedges in various places throughout the shoulder to place the garlic cloves in. You want the cloves to go in deep.

Now, sprinkle 1 tbs of oregano, and 1 tbs of garlic powder over the shoulder. Sprinkle half of the salt on the shoulder, and flip over. Repeat the oregano, garlic powder, and salt seasoning unto the shoulder. Cover with aluminum foil and let it marinate in the fridge overnight (or at least 4 hrs). Flip the pork shoulder over, just before heading to bed or 2 hrs into the marinating party. You want both sides to get marinated.

Before placing it in the oven you need to remove the baking dish from the refrigerator and let it get to room temperature. If you fail to do this the glass dish may break in your oven.

BE SURE TO HAVE IT AT ROOM TEMPERATURE BEFORE PLACING IT IN THE OVEN. This should take about 1 hour or so. Just sit in on your counter. Don’t forget about it, you don’t want it to sit there for 4 hrs at room temperature. Just enough to remove the cold from the dish. *You could avoid all this by using an aluminum disposable baking pan*

While it’s sitting on your counter, preheat your oven to 250 degrees. When ready, place the aluminum sealed baking dish or pan in to the middle rack of your oven. Set your timer for 2 hrs. After 2 hrs, flip the pork shoulder over, cover again and raise the temperature to 350. Roast for another hour. For the last hour, remove the aluminum foil and let it bake uncovered.

4hrs later. Check the temperature at the thickest part of the shoulder. It should read 170 degrees or a bit higher. Your pork should now be falling apart at the pull of a fork. Remove from the oven.

Guest Post: Coconut Oil Zucchini Bread

Did you love my first guest food writer?? Well, get ready for more loving! Today I’m introducing you to Brandy  Another girl after my heart. She’s the sweetest!! Check out her site after you grab a view of her post below, trust me zucchini never looked so good.  There’s lots of goodies you are gonna love! Pumpkin Butter, Gingerbread Syrup , and much more.

Hello Confessions of a Recipe Junkie readers    I’m Brandy of the food blog Nutmeg Nanny. Today I’m doing a little guest post. I hope you all enjoy!

I know that zucchini bread is usually something you see in the late summer but I like to shake things up. I often look at the discount vegetable shelf at my grocery store and I recently saw some zucchini that needed to be bought and used. I had been craving zucchini bread so that is exactly what I made.

I took a basic recipe and decided to swap out vegetable oil for coconut oil. This is not the first time I have made a quick bread using coconut oil. It’s my favorite! If you have never used coconut oil you should definitely try it out (make sure you buy virgin non-refined coconut oil). Also, to substitute vegetable oil you have to melt down the coconut oil because at room temperature it’s solid.  After you melt the oil let it cool slightly so it’s not piping hot as you add it to the batter.

Enjoy!!!

Coconut Oil Zucchini Bread:

  • 3 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 1 cup melted coconut oil
  • 4 eggs – beaten
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 2 cups grated zucchini
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (I left nuts out of my bread)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  1. In a large bowl combine flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar.
  2. In a medium bowl add oil, eggs, water, zucchini and lemon juice. Stir together.
  3. Mix wet ingredients into dry, add nuts (if using) and fold in. Bake in 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray, for 1 hour or until a tooth pick comes out clean. You can also bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.

 

Grapefruit Guacamole

Yes I did! I messed with something that shouldn’t be messed with, guacamole. I couldn’t resist making this staple dish just a little different. As I work my way through your Cinco De Mayo celebration, how could I not make guacamole! I already shared my desayuno (breakfast) recipe with you, those Mexican Corn Cakes & Salsa Verde Eggs The hint of cinnamon in those cakes adds the perfect touch, figured an appetizer should be next. And whats better than guacamole with chips?!

This guacamole took me a way for a bit, I wanted to be sitting next to the beach, it is so refreshing! The lime that is usually used in guacamole gives it a tang. Replacing it with grapefruit makes it light, and sort of sweet. Now, it’s not sweet like if you had pour some sugar all up in that guac, its just sweet from the grapefruit juice. I used an Indian River Grapefruit, I found them sweeter than most grapefruits I’ve had. It’s a perfect substitution if you want to save all those limes for the tequila shots.

Grapefruit Guacamole

enough for 2-3 people

3-4 small hass avocados, room temperature
1 small mexican onion- finely chopped
1 small garlic clove- finely chopped
1/2 grapefruit- juice, segments, and zest
1 tsp chopped fresh cilantro
5 orange baby tomatoes, sliced
sea salt *must*

Grab a large bowl, slice the avocados in half and remove the pit. The easiest way is to carefully hold the half with the pit in it and in a soft yet forceful swing, have the knife land on the pit. It should get “stuck” on the pit, you would now twist and the pit will remove from the avocado but stay on the blade. To remove the pit from the blade, grab a towel and carefully pull it off the blade.

Once you have all the pits remove, slice and peel the avocados. Don’t worry it doesn’t have to be perfect, it’s all getting mixed. If you find some parts that are “dark” just slice those off, but don’t toss the entire avocado, it’s still good. Now you should have all the avocados in the bowl. Add the garlic, mexican onion, cilantro, and the grapefruit juices. Mix and press against the bowl with a fork. Now add the segments of grapefruit and the zest, mix in a pinch of salt and taste. Add salt if you feel necessary. You must use sea salt, it enhances the flavor of the avocado. At the end mix in the tomatoes and serve.

As I made this guacamole, I was also dealing with a sick baby. A four legged, hairy baby. It made for a busy weekend, a sad busy weekend. Not sure what got her sick, but her tummy was just not having it. I tried marching through the weekend thinking it was going to pass but when Sunday morning hit and things hadn’t changed, I made an appointment for the vet. She’s now on medication and slowly turning back to her normal self. I miss her spunk, she sure makes the days entertaining. Thank you for everyone who gave their love and support on Twitter.

Cuban Coffee

Every weekend ‘la cafetera’ was brewing away on my mother’s stove. We would wake up to the smell of cafe (coffee), it was her breakfast. More like her crack, she could not and can not function without her morning cafe. As we grew older we learned how to make my mother’s cafe. It was of course Dominican style cafe, a much lighter version to Cuban coffee. A shot of Cuban coffee will knock the crazy out of you. It does not play, and I usually do not or really ever just take a shot of that strong espresso. Except this once, just for you.

I only drink Cuban coffee when it’s swimming in a cup of milk. Cafe con leche, now that’s something I can handle. Just enough of a kick from the espresso, and the soothing feel of the warm milk. In my last job at Florida there was a Cuban cafeteria just steps away. Nothing beat walking in to pick up a little cafe con leche. The minute you open the door it hits you. Cafe. Remnants of freshly ground cafe were sprinkled on the counter. The little metal tasita ready with sugar for the first few drops of cafe to be whipped into espumita (foam). And the large metal cup of whole milk ready to be frothed sitting next to the espresso machine.

I rarely went to grab cafe con leche alone. A co-worker would join me, or I would be grabbing an extra cafe con leche for someone in the office. There is just something about it that brings people around. A little gossiping around the break room, or at someone’s desk. And at some point laughter. This is why I love the ritual of having a “cafecito”. It was always when the conversation was getting good that my mother would offer coffee to our guest.

Ingredients

  • 5-7 tablespoons of dark roast ground coffee, special for espresso (preferred brand is Cafe Bustelo)
  • 3 tablespoons of sugar
  • 1/2 cup of water

Instructions

  1. Place the 1/2 cup of water in the cafetera base
  2. In the removable filter cup, place the tablespoons of coffee and press them down as you add tablespoon by tablespoon. The best tool is one I bought from Crate and Barrel, an espresso pusher. Fits the filter of the espresso stovetop maker perfectly to aid in pressing the coffee grounds down. Push as many tablespoons are you can, the coffee grounds should top the rim.
  3. Place the filter in the base, and seal the top tightly (very tightly)
  4. Place on your stove and heat on high
  5. Right after placing the espresso maker on the stove, add the sugar to a metal cup
  6. Partially open the lid of the espresso maker and watch for the first few drops of coffee
  7. Once you have about 1 tablespoon of the fresh brewed coffee, pour them into your metal cup with the sugar
  8. Place the espresso maker back on the stove, close the lid and let it brew
  9. In the mean time, using a metal spoon whip the sugar and coffee mixture. Press the sugar against the inside of the cup and keep whipping until all the coffee has brewed. You should have a foamy sugar mixture.
  10. Pour the brewed coffee into the sugar mixture and serve.

Candy Cane Dipped Rice Krispies Treats

 

 

Don’t make these unless you are sharing them

 

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

 

 

Actually an evening of Candy Cane Dipped Rice Krispies Treats (all to myself) in front of the TV watching something Christmas-y, sounds amazing.  No one will know, right?

 

Rice Krispies Treats are addicting on their own. Just plain.  I can eat an entire batch, with no shame.  I once had a some left over Rice Krispie Cereal and a some marshmallows.  I’m sure you know what happened next.   After dinner I grabbed a small sauce pan, and made magic.  I didn’t even wait for it to cool into the cute squares.  No, way Jose! I shoved the mixture in my mouth by the spoonful. Again, no shame.

To the joy of my thighs, I made these to share.  My lovely friend hosts a kids craft party every year.  This year, I was able to attend.  I snagged a kid! My niece  Lucky little thing.  Made out with an afternoon of crafts and these treats.

It was a great way to spend a Sunday.  Full of sweet things and innocence.

 

 Candy Cane Powdered Sugar Dipped Rice Krispies Treats

  • 10oz bag of marshmallows
  • 1/4 cup of butter
  • 5 cups rice krispie cereal
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 5-6 small candy canes (or 3 large ones)
  • 3 oz white chocolate baking squares

 

  1. Grab a medium sized sauce pan
  2. Melt the butter over medium heat
  3. Add all the marshmallows and stir constantly until melted
  4. Remove the marshmallow mixture from the heat
  5. Add the rice krispie cereal and stir until combined
  6. Spread over a buttered baking sheet.  I pushed the rice krispies into half of the baking sheet, so it would be squared on one end, and the free-hand ended the rectangle
  7. Let them cool for 1 hour
  8. Cut the rice krispies treats into 1 1/2 inch strips, then into squares.  I was able to get 20 rice krispies
  9. Candy Cane Powdered Sugar– Grab 2 ziplock bags, add the powdered sugar, and candy canes. Crush and shake
  10. Over a double boiler melt the white chocolate (or use a microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring in between)
  11. Dip one end of each square into the chocolate.  Then into the candy cane powdered sugar.  Using your hand, gently push the candy cane sugar into the treat to make sure it’s stuck to the chocolate
  12. Set back on the baking sheet, making sure they don’t touch another treat.  Let cool for another hour

D.E.V.O.U.R

My friends and the kids enjoyed the treats.  The hostess ended up with extras and snuck one in her daughters lunch box, which I thought was so sweet.  Then text me last night to confess that she’s been eating the remaining treats

Almond Joy Cookie Dough Bake

This weekend was sweet! I spent my Sunday making cookie dough, chocolate ganache, and my mother’s dulce de coco (coconut bake). All this into one baking dish, pure joy! Even though I am not a big fan of coconut desserts, I can’t resist my mother’s dulce de coco. It’s the easiest dessert you will ever make. The coconut gives in to the condensed milk and it becomes a sweet almost caramelized “cobbler” of goodness.

The dulce de coco got an upgrade once I turn it into “Almond Joy Cookie Dough Bake”. It was difficult for me to narrow down how I was going to incorporate Lindsays eggless cookie dough into a recipe. There are so many options and recipes that could be turned into cookie dough goodness. Remember the creme brûlée? my decision became clear after a few passes of her “millionaire cookie dough bars”. It had me thinking of bars, then candy bars, and then my thinking went tropical: Almond Joys 🙂

You can make this dessert overnight, or a few hours before your event. It doesn’t require a lot of ingredients, and I guarantee there won’t be any leftovers. And just like those little almond joys, this “bake” isn’t overly sweet. Yes, there is ganache and cookie dough topping the coconut but it all worked. Each bite gives you each layer of flavor.

I had such a great time looking through Lindsay’s book “Cookie Dough Lovers Cookbook” and seeing all the things she’s made. It truly get’s your wheel spinning on all things cookie dough. I recommend you get if you love having cookie dough (duh), or want something fun to have in your collection. I truly can’t wait to share this book with my nieces & nephews. I enjoyed this book so much, that I am giving one away! YES, you too can have this little gem in your hands. Just leave a comment below with what you’d like to add cookie dough to, and who you’d share these recipes with. Who’s the cookie dough lover in your life 🙂

Contest begins 6/21/12 8:00am CST- 6/25/12 11:59pm CST. The winner will be selected using the “true random number generator” by random.org, and announced on Twitter, Facebook , and here! I’d call the press too if I could 🙂

US/Canada Residents only. Only one entry per person

Almond Joy Cookie Dough Bake

* makes 1 (2qt) baking dish

“dulce de coco”

14 oz bag of coconut flakes sweetend
14 oz can of condensed milk
1 egg – room temperature
1 cup whole almonds
butter for baking dish
cookie dough

1 stick of unsalted butter– room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup of light brown sugar, packed
2 tbs heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup of all purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
ganache

1 cup + 1/2 cup — of semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 tbs of creme de cocoa
Dulce de coco

Preheat your oven to 400. Grab a large mixing bowl, add the coconut flakes, condensed milk, and egg. Mix until combined. Butter your baking dish, and spread the coconut mixture evenly in the dish. Bake for 15-20 minutes, just until the edges and top are golden brown. Remove from the oven, and let it cool to room temperature.

Using a sauce pan, bring water to a boil. Remove from the stove and drop in the almonds. Let them blanch for 1 minute. This is just to soften the almonds. Rinse and pat dry. Press the almonds into the cooled “dulce de coco”. Set aside

Cookie Dough

Using your mixer, mix the butter, and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the 2 tbs heavy cream, vanilla, mix. Lower the speed and add the flour, and salt. Make sure to scrap down the bowl with a spatula so everything is well incorporated. Now using your spatula, stir in your chocolate chips, and mix. Spread the cookie dough evenly across the cooled “dulce de coco”. Set aside.

Chocolate Ganache

Grab a large microwaveable bowl, add the chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Microwave for 1 minute. Remove and whisk until the chocolate melts into a sauce. Add the creme de cocoa and mix.

Assemble— Pour chocolate ganache over the now cookie dough coconut mixture. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.

Melon & Crispy Prosciutto Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 medium ripe melon
  • 1/2 lbs of thinly sliced prosciutto
  • 4 ounces of plain soft goat cheese
  • 1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 cup of cooking oil
  • honey for garnish

Instructions

  1. Clean and slice the melon into small bite size pieces. Set aside.
  2. Using a large nonstick skillet, heat on medium. Tear and place pieces of prosciutto unto the skillet. Try to keep the pieces from touching each other during the first few seconds of hitting the skillet. After 1 minute, use a spoon to stir the prosciutto. Cook for another minute.
  3. Repeat the step above until you’ve cooked all the prosciutto
  4. Open your goat cheese package, and mix in a bowl with the chopped parsley
  5. Add the flour in a bowl and mix in the paprika
  6. Form the parsley goat cheese mixture into small dime size balls
  7. Drop them into the flour mixture and toss to coat
  8. Heat the oil in a small frying pan on high (test for readiness to fry by dusting with a bit of flour, it should begin to sizzle when it hits the oil)
  9. Fry the balls of goat cheese in the oil for 1 minute until golden brown. Watch them carefully, they may brown quickly.
  10. To Assemble: Place the pieces of melon in a bowl. Have the crispy prosciutto and got cheese balls on the side for everyone to top their salad with. Honey is suggested as a drizzle.