Yummy Brazilian Food

In Brazil, there are street vendors and hole in the wall places that are really great. When I was there I ate these hand held foods called pastels. They can be either sweet or savory. I finally found a recipe that is soooo yum! This particular recipe is savory. If you would rather have one that is sweet, you can fill it with bananas, strawberries, chocolate, or anything that you desire that can be fried.

http://southamericanfood.about.com/od/snacksstreetfood/r/Pastel-Frito-De-Frango-Recipe-For-Brazilian-Pastel-With-Chicken.htm

I "tweaked" it a little. I only use one green pepper and for the dough I use butter instead of shortening. Love. It!

It's already Christmas?!?!?!

It's Christmas Eve and I cannot believe it's here! I have had lots of changes recently and it has been pretty exciting. I had my cute little one on August 11th! He is SUCH a doll. I am sitting here blogging while watching Curious George. He is trying to make the monkey noises George is making.... :) I am so grateful  for my family and especially my hubby. He does so much for us and is such a rock in my world! So for this holiday season, I hope everyone makes good food, has fun, and starts to think of those resolutions! I heard someone on the radio say that instead of resolutions they think of it as "Operation 2012". It takes the pressure off of January! Hope you have a great holiday season!


howsweeteats.com recipe... yummy!


Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cups rolled oats

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 1/4 cups chocolate chips

optional: 1- 2 tablespoons milk, if dough is crumbly

Preheat oven to 375.

Beat butter and sugars with an electric mixer until smooth. Add egg and vanilla, mixing well until combined, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon with the mixer on medium speed. Beat in oats. Mix until dough comes together. Add in 1 tablespoon milk if the dough is crumbly. If dough is still crumbly, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it comes together. Fold in chocolate chips. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Remove dough from fridge and roll into big 1 1/2 inch balls. Set on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Lightly press down on dough to flatten it. Bake at 375 for 9-11 minutes.

                                                 Merry Christmas Everyone!

Hey!

I haven't blogged in such a long time! So much in life has happened. I'm expecting my first little one in August and time seems to fly. That's what happens when you experience such changes! I need to do so much on this blog and I am finally motivated to do it. I am going to post some pictures of food, myself, my hubby, and hopefully my new little one that is coming soon! But for now, here is a recipe that has become really popular in my family...

Thanksgiving Pie

 

3 large eggs

1 cup dark corn syrup

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter - melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

1 9" pie shell unbaked

 

 

In bowl beat eggs at medium speed with mixer.  Add syrup, pumpkin, sugar, melted butter and vanilla.  Beat until mixed well.  Arrange pecans on bottom of pie shell.  Slowly pour over pecans. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

 

*** You can substitute canned yams for a sweet potato pie in place of the pumpkin.  Keep all other ingredients the same.   The only difference is you take a can of sweet potatoes/yams in a can.  They are usually chopped with liquid.  All you have to do is put the chopped pieces in bowl and mix with mixer.  You may want to add a little of the juice if it seems dry, but not too much.  After mixing just measure out 1 cup.  You can put the rest in a ziplock bag and freeze for another pie.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Two words.... Love. It.

Happy baking!~

Old Fashioned Beef Stew

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

 

1 1/2 pounds beef stew cut into pieces

2 tablespoons oil or shortening

2 chopped onions

3 cups hot water

3 medium potatoes, pared and cut into fourths or smaller

2 carrots, cut into 1 inch slices

1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned green peas

1 beef bouillon cube

 

 

Mix flour, salt and pepper. I put in zip-lock bag.  Add beef to bag and coat beef in flour mixture.

Heat oil or shortening in a 4 quart dutch oven until melted.  Brown beef.  Stir in chopped onion.  Cook 5 or 10 minutes, stirring frequently, drain off fat.

 

Add hot water and bouillon cube.  Heat to boiling and reduce heat.  Cover and simmer 2 hours.  ( you can use crock pot and cook about 6 hours on low or about 3 hours on high)

 

Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 min if cooking on stove.  Thicken stew if desired by shaking 1/2 cup cold water and 1 or 2 tablespoons flour in tightly covered jar.  Stir into stew.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir one minute.

 

Serve over rice or noodles.  Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Grandmother Johnson's Cornbread

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup self rising flour

1 cup buttermilk

1 heaping tablespoon mayonnaise

2 tablespoons bacon grease

 

Heat oven to 350. Put bacon grease in iron skillet and get hot.  Mix cornmeal, flour, milk and mayonnaise together.  Put cornbread mixture in skillet and bake about 20 min or until golden brown.

A couple of tips...

 

*** If you don't have buttermilk, you can substitute with regular milk and add 1 teaspoon lemon juice.  Let sit about 15 min or until the milk looks like it's getting thick.

 

*** If you don't have self rising flour, you can use all-purpose and add 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  You can use this in any recipe.

Grandmother Johnson's Salmon Patties

1 can salmon (size of soup can)

1 tablespoon cornmeal

1 tablespoon flour

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon milk

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

oil for frying

 

 Scrape "black film" off salmon. (As much as you can)  Put salmon in a bowl and take out all bones.  (they're small circles).  There will be a bunch of them.  Mix all ingredients together except oil.  Place oil in iron skillet.  Make round patties about the size of sausage patties. Put patties in hot oil in skillet and fry on medium heat until golden brown.  Drain on paper towels.

Grandmother Johnson's Pinto Beans

1 package dried pinto beans

salt

ham pieces, cut in bite size pieces

water

 

 

Pick through dried beans and take out all the bad ones.  Wash 2 or 3 times.  Soak overnight if you want them to cook fast.  Granddaddy liked them to cook all day so you get more brown gravy with your beans.  Add ham and salt to taste.  Start to boil.  Turn down real low.  Cook 2 1/2 or 3 hours.

 

A note from momma...

"I got this recipe from Grandmother July 7, 1992.  She didn't know it, but I wrote it down as she was giving me the recipe over the phone.  I also wrote down her recipe for salmon patties and cornbread that same day."