Food, Fusion and More

Cherry filled muffins This muffins were great! I used preserves that I had at home. In this case I used cherry preserves and frozen cherries but I think you can fill them up with any flavor you will have at home. I was thinking blueberries, raspberries, etc. I told you that I usually cook with things I have at home so we don't need to go to the store every day. Although I think some times I go to the store more often that I want. Ingredients: 2 cups all purpose flour 3/4 cup sugar (I always use non process sugar) 3 tsp baking powder 2 eggs 3/4 low fat buttermilk 6 tbsp butter, melted 1 cup fresh or frozen cherries 1/2 cup cherry preserves Preheat oven to 375 F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Sift together flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, in a medium mixing bowl. Set a side In the mixer whisk together eggs, buttermilk and 6 tbsp of melted butter. Add all at once to dry mixture. By hand stir just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin...

a great natural and homemade snack I was very exited how this granola bars turn out. At the beginning I though I was going to end up with homemade granola but they did work as bars! You will need 2 cups old fashioned oatmeal 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ 2 tbsp unsalted butter 2/3 cup honey 1/4 cup non process brown sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup dry cherries 1 cup sliced almonds 1 cup chopped walnuts Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a 12 X 8 in baking tray with parchment paper Bake the oatmeal on a sheet pan for 10 - 15 minutes, stirring at least every 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in wheat germ. Reduce oven temperature to 300 F In a small saucepan, combine butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla and salt: bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook stirring, for 1 minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add dry cherries, almonds and walnuts. Stir until blended. Pour into the prepared pan, pressing i...

Chocolate cookies Well I couldn't resist this recipe. I made half of the batch with plain chocolate, and I add fresh coconut to the other half. I just really like coconut. I usually use at least 75% cocoa chocolate chips/bar to make my chocolate recipes. This cookies are very chewy and soft. I've tried different recipes, I really like this one: 4 tbsp unsalted butter 3 eggs 1 tsp baking powder 15 oz chocolate (bar or chips) 2 tsp vanilla 1/2 cup flour Preheat oven at 350 F. Prepare your cookie sheets with wax paper. First melt the chocolate and butter together. You can use the microwave or over a pot on top of a sauce pan with a little of hot water. Stir constantly until completely melt. In the mixer beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla. With the beater blade mix in the chocolate mix. Incorporate the flour and baking soda by hand. ( when you use the mixer to add flour, the texture of the cookies may change) I use a small ice-cream scoop spo...

I can't translate "Tacu- Tacu", this is another way to recycle left over rice. Usually it's made with leftover Jasmine rice, but we had "sea food rice" (the veggie one), so I used that one. 2 cups of cooked rice 1 cup of cooked and mushed beans 1 onion finely chopped 1 tsp olive oil 1 egg Salt and Pepper to taste I have to say that the way I prepare this "tacu-tacu" it's my dad's style, probably a lot of Peruvian cooks might not do it the same way but this is the way I learn it and I like it. In a large bowl mix all the ingredients make sure they are 100% mix. It should look almost like a dry pure texture. Heat up a pan, add a squirt of olive oil once warm poor about a cup of the mix. Press it down forming a giant patty. Use a small plate to help turn it to the other side, and keep pressing down. Serve it warm, we like it with a lime-onion salad and a spinach salad. And a hint of hot pepper.

Arroz con Mariscos You may wonder how being a vegetarian I made this seafood dish. Well I am not the only one living in my house and I don't expect to everybody become vegetarian, so I include some "animals" once in while. The only difference is that I do separate my (meatless) food in a "his and hers" containers. This is a very traditional dish in the coast of Peru, that's where I grew up and I love it. Actually the smell of the spices just reminds me summer time in Lima. SEA FOOD VERSION: 1/2 lb of medium size shrimp 1/2 lb small scallops 3 cups jazmin rice 1 medium onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 cup white wine (I used chardonay) 4 cups shrimp broth 4 tbsp aji amarillo * optional 2 tbsp aji colorado *optional 1/2 tbsp paprika 3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped 1 cup sweat peas 1 cup carrots, peeled and chopped 1 cup mushrooms 2 tsp olive oil salt and pepper to taste. First you have to clean those little shrimps, I have to ...

I had a party to attend and since it was "Saint Patrick's day" party I had to involve "green" in my dish. I saw something like this on line, but for allergy reasons I had to do some adjustments. In my house, hazelnuts are not welcome. 12 green grapes 7 oz cream goat cheese 7 oz light cream cheese 1/2 cup chopped pistachios 1/2 cup cupped cashews pepper to taste First peel the grapes, then make sure to dry them well. You can use a paper towel or a paper napkin. Set a side Mix all the chopped mix in a flat bottom container. You have to make sure that the cheeses are room temperature. In a separate bowl mix them by hand. Mix them well, so the flavors are well combined.   with a tiny spoon separate a little piece of cheese dough and make a mini patty, wrap the dry grape and then roll it in the nuts.  It's a very simple dish and quite elegant to serve. 

I really need to explain this dish. Originally it's call "Mondonguito a la Italina". Mondongo is the peruvian word for  "cow stomach". Remember "cow-cow" dish?, well is the same part of the animal. Since I am vegetarian, I don't eat mondongo, and at my parents house they made this dish with steak strips instead of mondongo. I guess nobody really liked mondongo when I was growing up. You will need: 1 chop onion 1 big tomato peeled and chopped 1 tbsp tomato paste 2 tbsp dry mushrooms 1 bay leaf 1/2 tbsp sugar 2 cups fresh mushrooms 1 lb potatoes 1 big carrot, sliced in long strips. 1 cup sweet peas 1 medium zucchini, sliced in long strips. 3 tbsp fresh Italian parsley  Fry the onions, tomato, tomato paste, dry mushrooms, bay leaf, salt, pepper and sugar. Let them cook stir it ocasionally. In a separate pan, boil the carrots al dente, drain. Repeat with the zucchini stripes. Set a side. Add the fres...

"Chupe" is a south american word for "chowder", It's heavy duty soup. Usually if you have a "chupe" you won't need to eat anything else, because is a very fulfilling soup. In Peru there are several kinds: Shrimp chupe, Faba bean chupe, Chairo chupe, Fish chupe, "Friday's chupe", etc. Last night I made "wheat chupe" but I made almost a "light chupe", Because I wanted to have a main dish too. First of all I have to say, the wheat I used it's Peruvian, in every trip I bring back with me a little 1 lb  bag of wheat. It looks very similar to Barley, but barley taste a little bit different, and also barley is more grey and wheat it's more yellow. Although when I'm out of "wheat" I do use barley from the store here. Barley "Chupe" for two 1 cup of barley or wheat 1 medium onion 1 cup chop celery 1 cup chop carrots 1 cup chop leek 1/2 cup chop turnip 2 cups vegetable br...

The last couple of nights my husband was out of town so my "dinners for one" were "leftover salads" or "leftover soups", but last night I was out of "left overs" so I had to make something fast since I was out until almost 8:00 p.m. ... I made "steamy dinner". Last year my brother Ramon for my birthday got me a "steamer", what a useful gadget. I have to admit that I am not the kind of person that has a gadget per activity but I really like my steamer. I made Steam vegetables with rice and hard boil eggs. 1 potato 1 egg 1 cup of broccoli 1 cup of coli flower 1/2 avocado 1/4 cup yellow corn 1/2 tomato 1 lime 1 tbsp fresh cilantro 1 cup Jasmine rice 1/4 cup sweet peas First I put my potato and eggs to boil, just to be efficient I boil more than one egg, so I can have a hard boil egg the next day too. Meanwhile I put all the veggies in the steamer and cooked them for 12 minutes. In a separate pot I made ...

I love zucchinis and even thought I have several ways to make stuffed zucchini  I had a craving for goat cheese, so I made this variety this time. For 4 medium size zucchinis: 1/2 cup goat cheese 1 tbsp chopped pistachios 1 tbsp chopped cashews 1/4 cup chopped mushrooms 1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt 1/2 tbsp Italian herbs 2 medium potatoes salt and pepper to taste First boil the potatoes "al dente", then boil the zucchinis until tender, carve the center of them and place them in a 9x9 in pan. Let them cool down. In a microwaveable container put the goat cheese and warm it up for 45 seconds on medium temperature.  Once soft, stir it until it gets creamy. Add the yogurt, pistachios, cashews  mushrooms, and season to taste. With a spoon poor that mix in the center of the zucchini and cook them, next to the potatoes in the oven at 350 F for about 30 min.

What to do with left over rice? Well in Peru we make :"torrejitas". Actually you can do "torrejitas" with pretty much everything, replace the rice for spinach, tuna, spaguetti noodles (chop in small pieces), brocolli, really any left over you have at home. They are very simple to make. I will show you how I did the Rice cakes today: 2 cups of cooked rice 1 tomato 1 onion 2 tbsp cilantro (or parsley, or basil) 1 egg 1 egg white 2 tbsp flour. First chop the tomato and onions. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Cook them in a frying pan. I have a pan that doesn't require any oil at all. But you always can use a little of olive oil to avoid them to get crumbly. They are great cold or warm. When I was a Kid my brother and I will have this as snacks after school. Here I made them as our main dish with a big spinach salad.

I am not a great bread baker, I give that "award" to my mother in law, Karen, she makes the most soft and moist bread you've tried.  But I tried this recipe yesterday, and I have to tell you, it was awesome.  You will need: 1 1/4 boiling water 2/3 cup oats 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup butter (melted) 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast 31/2 to 4 cups of wholewheat flour. In a large bowl, pour boiling water over oats. Add the melted butter and salt. Let stand until mixture cools to 110 - 115 F.  Add the sugar, egg, yeast and 2 cups of flour. Beat until smooth. Keep stirring in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead unil smooth and elastic. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll dough to 1/2 in thickness. Cut with a floured bicuit cutter. Place 2 in apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled about 1 hour. ...

I forgot to take a picture of the final pancake, I guess because it smelled so good that I couldn't wait to eat it, so I apologize for that. I thought it had a great flavor and an excellent way to start your day. I promise to take a picture next time I make them. I used a local based grainery wholewheat flour, that we bought in colfax. It was great!. 1 cup of flour 1 tbsp sugar 2 tbsp baking powder 1 cup of coconut milk 1 tsp vanilla extract I used coconut milk because I love the flavor of it, but I think it will also taste great with any other kind of milk, like almond milk or soy milk.

Well this is a combination of Quinua, Rissotto and "Lomo Saltado". It was a great mix. Very easy and fast to make. Lomo saltado is a traditional dish from Peru, it's a beef dish with homemade fries, onions, tomatoes and spices. I did my version of it with whole mushrooms and half artichoke hearts. "Quinotto" 1 cup of quinua 1/2 cup of arborio rice 1/2 yellow onion 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter 3 cups of vegetable stock 1/4 cup of dry white wine. First boil the Quinua in a pot, once it's cook, rinse and drain it. Set a side. In a separate pot gold the onions in butter, add the arborio rice and stir it until it changes color. Add the white wine and keep stirring, once it starts boiling and getting dry add the vegetable stock little by little until it gets creamy, when the rice is fully cook, add the quinoa and mix them together. "Veggies Saltado" 1 large onion 2 roma tomatoes 1 cup of whole muschrooms 1 cup of half artichoke heart...

This is a veggie quiche that you can do with any left over veggie you have at home. 1 cup of plain nonfat Greek yogurt 3 egg whites 1 egg 1/2 cup of peas 1/2 cup of chop carrots 1/2 cup of yellow corn 1/2 cup of lima beans 2 tbsp feta cheese 2 tsp Italian herbs Mix the eggs and yogurt until completely mix. Add the veggies and poor the mix into a 9 x 9 in pan Bake for about 30 minutes or until brown in the edges. Serve with onion salad and Sliced fried yams.

A perfect soup for a cozy night at home. I took this recipe from one of my vegetarian recipe books, but as always I just made little alterations accordingly with what I have at home. 1 lb carrots 1 tbsp olive oil 1 medium yellow onion 1 celery stalk 2 small red potatoes 4 cups of water ( I used homemade vegetable stock) 1/2 cup of soy milk (or any milk you prefer) Trim the carrots, peel and cut into chunks. Heat the oil in a large pot. Fry the onion over low heat for about 4 minutes, until softened but not browned. Cut the celery stalk into slices. Add the celery and potato to the onion in the pot, cook for a few minutes and then add the carrots. Fry over low heat, stirring frequently and then cover. Reduce the heat even further and sweat for about 10 minutes. Shake the pan or stir occasionally so the vegetables do not stick on the bottom. Add the water (or veggie stock), bring to boil and then partially cover and simmer for about 10 - 15...

This is a recipe very similar to my hummus recipe but it uses pinto beans. I served this pate with fresh celery and thin crisp crackers. Ingredients 15 oz of pinto beans, cooked and drain (you can use a can of beans) 1 cup of nonfat cottage cheese 1 tsp olive oil juice of 1/2 lemon 3 tbsp of chopped fresh parsley Salt and pepper to taste. Blend the beans, garlic, cheese and lemon juice in ta food processor until smooth. Add chopped parsley and mix completely.  Chill the pate so that it sets firm.

I learn how to do this sauce from years of watching my mother making spaghetti.  In my parents house it was made with chicken, in our home in Ellensburg we do it with "meatballs" (the vegetarian ones). I use the Quorn bran. They are very tasty but I have an specific way to start them, because if I don't do it like that they will be saggy and not very good. Red sauce: 6 Roma tomatoes 2 medium carrots 1 yellow onion chopped 3 garlic cloves chopped 1 cup of dry mushrooms 3 dry bay leafs 1 tbsp olive oil 1tsp achiote * optional salt and pepper to taste Peel and cut the tomatoes in big chunks, put them in the food processor, until they are a nice red pure. Peel and grate the carrots. Soak the dry mushrooms in warm water for at least 10 minutes. The mushrooms I use, I brought  them from Lima, in a seal package, if you know what kind of mushrooms they are please let me know because it will be great to use them more often. In ...