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...