Good Morning!  This Covid Quarantine is starting to wear thin on me and the family.  While I am so thankful for our health and safety, It's hard to keep 3 kids (11, 7, 5) from killing each other and not driving me crazy.  They can not agree on most things, however they can agree that cooking and baking is fun and delicious.  So to keep our sanity we've been spending a lot of time baking and cooking.

Today Emilie helped me bake coffee cake muffins form the "damn delicious blog"  this is a new blog that i came across and from what I saw today I think I will be checking it out in more depth as time goes on. this recipe calls for a sugar drizzle, personally i don't think it's necessary at all, but the link to the full recipe is below if you cant to take it to the next level. 



Recipe Source https://damndelicious.net/2014/03/24/coffee-cake-muffins/


WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
FOR THE MUFFIN DOUGH

• 1 1/2 cup of Flour 
• 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs

FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING

• 1/4 cup  Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
• 1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
• 3/4 cup flour 
• 1/2 stick of melted butter
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO DO:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners or coat with nonstick spray; set aside.

Make the crumb topping, combine sugars, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in melted butter. Add flour and stir until mixture is moist. 

Spread out mixture in even layer on a cookie sheet and allow  dry until ready to use.

In bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.

In a stand mixer, whisk together milk, canola oil and egg. Once well mixed, add dry ingredients until just combined. 

Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin tray. 

Sprinkle with reserved crumb topping, using your fingertips to gently press the crumbs into the batter. 

Place into oven and bake for 15-17 minutes, (I use a stoneware, so it does take longer to bake about 20-23 minutes) or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Once baked remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing. 

Like always happy Cooking and Baking!

Grilled Seafod Paella

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• Happy Wednesday Everyone.  Now that the weather is getting better I cannot wait to get back outside and start making this.  Who doesn't like a good seafood paella?  I know that my family is a huge fan of seafood and this is one recipe that EVERYONE will devour this every time make it.  
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• Let me start by saying that this will take a long time to make and it involves a lot of steps, but i will promise you that it's worth the work and wait.  This is something that I make when i'm having family over for dinner.  It will impress the pants off anyone.   

Adopted from sunset

 https://www.sunset.com/recipe/grilled-seafood-chorizo-paella-with-allioli

• 6 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron 
• 1 pound littleneck clams, scrubbed
• 1 pound mussels, scrubbed and cleaned
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
•  kosher salt to taste
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined, 
• 1 pound scallops
• 1-2 lobster (depending on size) cooked and split in half
• 2 lemons, quartered
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped Spanish onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 cups sliced chorizo
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 1/2 cups medium grain rice
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO DO;

1. In a medium stock pot, bring the chicken stock and wine to a boil over a medium flame. 
2. Add the saffron and boil for 1-2 minutes. 
3. Add the clams to the pot and cook until the shells have opened, approximately 4-5 minutes. 
4. Transfer the clams to a platter using a slotted spoon. 
5. Add the mussels to the pot and cook until the shells have opened, approximately 3-4 minutes. (make sure to reserve cooking liquid afterwards as it will be used to the rice later)
6. Transfer to the platter with the clams. Cover and set aside.
7. In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp, scallops, lobster tail and lemon with the paprika and salt. Set aside.
8. Place the paella pan or large skillet over high heat on the grill. (if you do not have a pan, i have also made this using a tin pan, you will see it in the posted picture)
9. Add the olive oil to the pan and heat for 1 minute. 
10. Add the onions to the pan and cook until softened, stirring occasionally. 
11. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. 
12. Add chorizo and cook for 2-3 minutes. 
13. Stir in the tomato paste and continue to cook until well combined and dark red in color. 
14. Stir in the rice and allow to cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. 
15. Using a 1 cup label, add 2 cups of the reserved broth to the rice and stir to combine. 
16. Allow the rice to absorb the stock, approximately 2-3 minutes, before adding more 1 cup at a time until all the stock is used.
17. While the rice cooks, place the shrimp, scallops, lobster and lemons directly on the grill rack. 
18. Grill the shellfish for 1-2 minutes on each side or until cooked through and opaque in color.
19.  Grill the lemons until charred on all sides. Transfer to the platter with the clams and mussels and set aside.
20. Stir the peas into the rice mixture. 
21. Top with the shellfish and lemons. 
22. Allow the paella to cook over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes longer so a crust forms on the bottom of the pan. 
23. Remove the paella to a heat proof trivet and serve family style at the table. 
24. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley before serving. 
25. Serve immediately.

Pizza Dough

I have to admit Covid-19 has me cooking and baking a lot more.  Being home with the kids...who do NOT stopping eating is keeping me busy.

Yesterday was a gloomy day.  we had a lot of rain downpours and high winds so we were indoors all day.  We spent the day build a fort, and watching movies.  It was a really laid back day so dinner followed suit.  We ended up build your own pizza, one was cheese and pepperoni and the other was sausage, mushrooms, and ricotta cheese.  Both were amazing, not just due to the toppings, but also the crust.

The crust was on point.  it mixed well, it stretched out easily and when it finished baking it was crisp. This recipe is a true winner!


Recipe Inspired by Allrecipes;  https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/20171/quick-and-easy-pizza-crust/

 WHAT YOU'LL NEED;

1 Tablespoon of active dry yeast
1 Teaspoon of sugar
1 Cup of warm water (not hot water because it will kill the yeast and it will not activate)
1 Teaspoon of salt
2 1/2 Cups of Flour

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO DO;

Preheat oven to 450

In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast, sugar in warm water.

set aside and allow tt to activate for 10 minutes, it will foam up.

After 10 minutes, in a stand mixer add flour, salt and yeast mixture.

with a hook attachment, beat dough until smooth.

Let dough rest for 20 mintues (you will notice that dough will double in size)

After 20 minutes take the dough and divide in half.  *if you like thinker crust then take all the dough and roll out.  My family likes thin crust so we are able to make two full size pizzas using this one recipe. (I'll attache pictures of baked pizza below for reference)

Take dough and place it on a lightly floured surface to roll out.

once desired thickness is achieved, transfer crust to lightly greased pizza pan.  I will to bake it on a pizza stone.

Add your favorite toppings and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown around the crust edges.

Once removed from oven let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

I hope you all enjoy this as much as my family does.  Like always happy cooking and baking.  Until next time.

Seafood Casserole

Happy belated Easter. This year has been difficult to say the least. Not only did we suffer the loss of a family member that we spent al the holidays with, but this Covid pandemic has made it impossible for us to spend the holidays together. 😢.

To try to make the best of this holiday I let everyone pick a dish that they wanted for Easter. The family had great suggestions, but both boys wanted my seafood casserole so that had to be on the list. I’ve made this seafood casserole many times and while it might not looks appetizing I promise, it’s going to have people asking for more each time.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED,

• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 pound real crabmeat claw work well, drained and flaked
• 1 pound medium shrimp - peeled and deveined and chopped into pea size 
• 1/2 pins of scallops 
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup 
• 3 packs of Ritz crackers crumbled 
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO DO,


Melt the margarine in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the bell pepper, onion, celery crabmeat, scallops, and shrimp; cook and stir for about 5 minutes.

Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the stuffing, ritz crackers  and 1 tablespoon of sugar.

Mix in the vegetables and seafood from the skillet.

Stir in the cream of mushroom soup and as much of the chicken broth as you like.

Spoon into a 9x13 inch baking dish (spray with Pam before hand)

Bake for 30 minutes in the 400 preheated oven.

Serve hot.

Shrimp Fritters

CAN YOU SAY SHRIMP FRITTERS?!?!? OH YES YOU CAN!!!!!!

                                                       While cooking....

                                                     After cooked...🥰

Several months ago I came across this recipe and I am so happy that I found it. This has been one of my go to recipes as of late. It’s easy and is a quick meal. Every time Jonathan asks what for dinner and I  tell him its shrimp fritters I get a “YES!” While this recipe suggests a Lemon Aioli, I like to put it up with a spicy mayo dressing. What can I say besides, my family likes a kick of heat. But if you’re looking for somethings little lighter check out Natasha’s Kitchen for this recipe and also the her Aioli recipe.

Recipe source https://natashaskitchen.com/shrimp-cakes-recipe-video/

WHAT YOU’LL NEED;

• 1 lb Shrimp peeled and deveined ***note size of shrimp does not matter as it will be chopped up small. 
• 1.5 cups of mozzarella cheese 
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 4 Tbsp parsley finely chopped, plus more to garnish
• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/8 tsp black pepper 
• 1/4 cup AP flour
• 2 Tbsp light olive oil or high heat cooking oil of choice 
• *I cook my fritters on a flattop griddle, so I spray the surface with PAM

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO;

Pat dry shrimp with paper towels then dice into small pieces.

Transfer chopped shrimp to a large mixing bowl. 

Add 4 oz shredded mozzarella, 1 egg, 1/4 cup mayo, parsley, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. 

Stir together then add 1/4 cup flour and mix until batter is creamy and well combined. 

Heat a large non-stick pan (Or electric griddle) to  medium heat and add 1 Tbsp olive oil. 

Add 1 Large heaping Tablespoon of shrimp mixture at a time and flatten out the tops. Fritters so be about 1/2" thick patties. 

Cook for about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown on the edges and cooked through.

Transfer to a plate and serve hot. 

Green bean soup (Sopa de feijao verde)

Looking back at my blog, it's been a long time.  So my Resolution this year is to document my family, and document the food that we all love.  I have to admit, after working full time and then coming home to 3 children that are asking "what's for dinner" the last thing I'm thinking is plate it nicely and take a picture.  I don't know about anyone else's kids, but I can tell you that my 5 year old can go from princess to pain in the butt when the hunger sets in.  And of course she always goes from being full to being starving in 3.6 seconds.  LOL! 



With all kidding aside, I always felt that blogging was a outlite for me, and most of all a way to track the recipes that were major wins.  There have been times when I find myself taking pictures of food, but never seem to find the time to come back and write up a post for it. like in the case of this soup.  I made it back in November and I finally got around to posting about it.  I promised myself that I would start being better about.  I think the fact that I started a Facebook page called Portuguese Cuisine I found some motivation.  Time will tell. 




The goal is to share at least 2 new recipes a month.  I think that's doable.what better way to start than to share one of my favorite childhood soups.  As a kid I can remember my parents having a garden and growing their own veggies.  One of the many things that they grew was green beans.  I can still remember my parents being outside every other day filling a plastic grocery bags of green beans.

 They grew so much that our extended family and neighbors would come over and pick green beans for themselves.  With the abundance of green beans there is only so much that you were able to eat, so my mom would chop it into small pieces and freeze it so she could make soup thought-out the year.  While it' a very  simple soup to make it's also a soup that is packed with flavor.  Definitely a must try.  I hope you all enjoy it as much as my brother and I did when we were little. 

Source: My Mother



WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

1 large chopped onion
3 large chopped carrots
1 stalk celery
1 large clove garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2-2 cups of green beans cut into small peices
8 cups water
2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable if you prefer)
salt and pepper to taste
1 cups small pastina 

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO DO:

In a large soup pan, saute the onions, carrots and celery in the olive oil until translucent.

Add the chicken broth, garlic, water, and seasonings.

Bring to boil and cook on medium until vegetables are tender.

Remove pan from heat. Puree the soup with an immersion blender to desired consistency.  

Place the soup back on the stove on medium heat. When it comes back up to a boil, add the pasta, green beans. 

Cover and let it simmer on medium heat for about 20 minutes or until the pasta is cooked. Add more seasoning if desired.

Enjoy with some delicious home made bread, and like always, HAPPY COOKING!

Old Fashioned Pancakes

What for breakfast at your house on Sunday Funday?  In our home, we like to start the day with old fashioned Pancakes.  I will admit that the kids are big fans because they get to be creative with all the fixing and they get to top then with whatever they want. 


The key to having a great Sunday, is having a great pancake recipe...oh and having lots of coffee.  I love this recipe because its very simple, quick and very tasty.  Hands down this is a true winning recipe. 


Like always, Happy Cooking!




WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 Teaspoons baking powder
1 Teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon white sugar
1 1/4 Cups milk
1 Eggs
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 Tablespoon for Vanilla




WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO DO;

•  In  a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar to combine.
•  Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter;
• Mix until smooth. 
• Heat a lightly sprayed/oiled  griddle over medium high heat.
• Use your 1/4 measuring cup to scoop batter onto the griddle.
• Allow pancake raise and flip.
• Ensure that pancake is brown on both sides and serve hot.

Keto Chocolate Frosty

Wow, its a blast from the past, it's been a while and I keep telling myself I need to get back into blogging but of course working full time, having three kids, and all their activities I feel like there is never enough time.  But I need to get better about that. 


So let's talk Keto and I will do my PSA while I'm at it.   I am not on the keto diet, but I do at times make some keto recipes because it's basically about cutting carbohydrates which is something that I needed less in my life.  With that being said, I've changed the way my family and I eat.  We increased our veggie and protein intake and decreased our processed foods and carb intake.  While I do feel that Keto does have some advantages, it is not for everyone and before going on it, please consult with your physician and have a complete bloodwork done.  Also Keto is not for long term weight loss and you have to increase your water intake a lot to protect your kidneys.  End of rant/ PSA.  =)


For the people that know me, they know I have a major sweet tooth.  I love everything chocolate and carbs were my best friend.   I came to realize that I was very dependent and on sugar, I dank it, I put it in my coffee, I eat it.  So to ensure that I don't go on a sugar binged I found this recipe on Pinterest and I had to try it.  Glad I did since the net carbs in this whole recipe is only 4 total and the net carbs in a small Wendy's frosty is 56gm.... THAT'S RIGHT 56GM in 1 SMALL FROSTY!   you would have to make this recipe 10 times to get the same amount of carbs.  Think about that while you enjoy this recipe. 


TIP- This doesn't need to be made into a frosty (put in the freezer), you can actually also just eat it as and a chocolate mousse.  I've had it both ways and they are both great. 


Recipe source; https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a22603823/keto-frosty-recipe/





WHAT YOU'LL NEED

• 2 Cups Heavy whipping cream
• 2 tbsp. Unsweetened cocoa powder      
• 3 tbsp. Keto-friendly powdered sugar sweetener, I use Anthony's Natural Erythritol Sweeter      
• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract      
• 1 Pinch kosher salt

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO DO:

• In your stand mixer combine all ingredients cream, cocoa, sweetener, vanilla, and salt.
• Using the whisk attachment mix on med speed until stiff peaks form.
• Scoop mixture into a Ziploc bag and freeze 30 to 35 minutes, until just frozen.
• Cut tip off a corner of the Ziploc bag and pipe into serving dish.
• serve chilled      

Coffee Cake Muffins

As a mother of a 10, 5, and 3 year old, I sometimes feel like they are eating me out of house and home.  For example, I spend $30 on yogurt every week. Not much I can do about that, but you would think they bathe in it or something.  Another thing that I buy very frequently is muffins.   I would buy 6 each week and the girls your share 1 each morning and now they each require their own.  To make it through half the week I was buying a 12 pack of muffins and it was costing around $12

Then it dawned on me...Why am I spending that amount on muffins when I could be making them at home for a tenth of cost, especially seeing that they are so easy to make and and take almost no time to bake. 

Muffins has always been one of my go tos for mornings.  In part because it's grab and go item, and because with you have so many different ways that you can modify a basic muffin recipe and not get bored.

What you'll need:

for the MUFFINS

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

CRUMB TOPPING

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO DO:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line muffin tin with paper liners, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. 
3. In stand mixer, whisk milk, butter, eggs and vanilla until smooth. 
4. Then take your dry mixer and start adding 1 cup at a time into the wet mixer.  
5. Keep mixing until you have a thick but smooth batter.
6. For the crumb topping, combine the ingredients in a medium bowl with a fork. Add the melted butter and stir until crumbly.
7. Begin to assemble the batter inside the lined muffin tin by scooping filling the tin 3/4 to the top.
8. Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of crumb topping on top of each muffin top, covering the tops.
9. Bake muffins for 15-17 minutes until the crumbly tops are golden and when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. 
10. Remove from oven and allow muffins to cool down to room temperature.  
11. Once cool remove from pan and enjoy.

Like always HAPPY BAKING!