White Wine Sangria

TGIF, time to relax with a nice cold drink.  How about a White Wine Sangria?  I'm not a red wine drinker, but you can certainly make this with any red wine you enjoy.  I decided to use a Riesling for this sangria.  Riesling is what I drink most of the time. So when making sangria pick a wine that you enjoy.

Ingredients

Wine-Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay

2 cups of raspberries

2 apples cored and diced

1 cup pineapple chunks

1 lemon cut in wedges

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 liter ginger ale or club soda

Pour wine in the pitcher and add the raspberries, diced apples, pineapple chunks, lemon and sugar.  Mix well.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.  Right before serving add the ginger ale or club soda.  If you'd like to serve right away, use chilled white wine and serve over lots of ice.

Addition ideas: diced mango, sliced strawberries, peaches, handful of fresh blueberries, kiwi, a shot or two of gin, brandy or rum, a cup of citrus-flavored soda.

French Toast

I made a Challah Bread the other day and I made sure I had some left for French Toast.  The Challah bread  is perfect for french toast because it soaks up the egg custard, and it holds together pretty good.

I am not a fan of soggy french toast, something about the texture is just not appealing to me.  A good french toast is nice and soft in the inside from the custard, but still holding it's shape. 

Green Beans, Garlic and Oil Pasta with Crusted Parmesan Chicken Tenderloins

Weather is starting to change, and I'm noticing my flowers are looking a little sad. Fall season is my favorite, and living in Georgia, I get to see the leaves change colors, from green to purple, orange, red and yellow.  When I think of Fall, I think of so many comfort food dishes.  Desserts made of pumpkins and apples to pot roast and root veggies.

But today, I wanted to make pasta, simple but with great flavors..so I decided to make it with just garlic and oil and throw something green in it..like green beans.  And as a protein, Crusted Parmesan Chicken Tenderloins.

Challah Bread

This is the 3rd time I have made Challah Bread.  Challah bread is a special braided Jewish bread eaten during Sabbath and  holidays.  This bread is really easy to make and I love the final result.  The braid makes this bread look stunning.  I almost don't want to cut it after it comes out of the oven.  But the bread is too delicious to not eat.

Challah bread is by far one of my favorite breads.  This bread is good with just butter, and if you have any leftover the next day, french toast is the way to go.  This bread looks a little intimidating, but it really isn't.  This recipe is one of those that once you do it for the first time..the 2nd time around is a piece of cake.

Pineapple, Coconut Carrot Cake

For about a week or so, I kept telling my husband that I wanted to make a carrot cake.  I've made carrot cakes before, but this one has a little twist.  The addition of the coconut and pineapple is out of this world.  The cake is super moist and the combination of flavors with the cream cheese frosting, Amazing!!

Beef Empanadas

This past Friday I decided to make Beef Empanadas.  It's been a while since I've made them, and I was craving them.  The dough I made is a new recipe I found, and I wanted to try it out.

Fluffy White Rice

Growing up in a Puerto Rican family, we ate rice at least twice a week, but some families eat it everyday.  From time to time my hubby will ask me to make him some rice.  Must of the times is white rice and a side of beans.  Then, we'll grill some kind of protein..and that's dinner.   My husband is not picky.

I like my rice to be fluffy and not mushy. Adding the right amount of water and not stirring it too much will give you nice fluffy rice.  When the rice is done right, you can just eat it all by itself. 

I use a caldero (cast aluminum pot)  to make the rice.  That's how it's made in Puerto Rico.  But you can use a sauce pot...but nothing stainless steel as the rice might get stuck to the bottom and burn.

Ingredients:
 

3 cups of water

3 cups of rice, washed and rinsed

3 tbsp of oil

1 tsp of salt

In the pot add the water on medium heat.  When the water starts boiling add the oil, salt and rice.  Stir to prevent sticking.  When the water evaporates into the rice, lower the heat to simmer. Pile the rice in the middle, cover the pot and cook for 30-40 minutes. Stir the rice after 15 minutes, keep covered until ready.  Serve with beans and your favorite protein.

Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Not feeling so great calls for a nice bowl of Chicken and Vegetable Soup. When I first got married, I asked my husband if he wanted soup for dinner,  he looked at me as if I had 4 eyes.  He found the question funny because to him soup is just an appetizer and not a meal. This reminds me of an episode of Seinfeld... too funny, but true.

Soup with a side of rice was dinner for me growing up.  My mom made chicken soup, beef soup, bean soup, all kinds of soups.  I never saw it as just an appetizer.  My husband and I laugh about it, because now he loves soup and rice for dinner.  But, it took him a while to get used to the idea. 

Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes

While out and about with my hubby  I asked him if he wanted to have Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes for dinner and he said "I'm not gonna say no to that".  Meatloaf is one of those dishes that my hubby and I enjoy very much.  This is a dish that I only make about three times a year.  We love it even more the day after.  The best part is making a sandwich out of the leftover with a little ketchup on top.  Love it!

Mashed Potatoes

This Mashed Potatoes recipe was my moms.  She made the best mashed potatoes.  Her secret, a little olive oil and mayonnaise.  The mashed potatoes come out creamy and delicious.

My mom was an excellent cook.  I wish that I had learned more from her cooking and all of her delicious recipes.  Mashed potatoes were always a side dish with meatloaf, baked chicken and her famous, garlic and onions cube steaks.  Oh, how I miss her cooking.

These mashed potatoes are just perfect.  Enjoy them with your favorite protein.

Ingredients

2  pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
water enough to cover potatoes

1 tsp salt

4 tbsp of butter

1/2 cup of milk

3 tbsp of mayonnaise
2 garlic cloves crushed
2 tbsp of olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Place potatoes in a saucepan. Add salt and water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.  Cook until potatoes are tender.  Place the garlic and olive oil in a small saucepan and simmer for about 5 minutes.  Set aside.

Drain potatoes and place in a bowl.  Add the milk and butter.  Mash potatoes with a potato masher. Until desire consistency.  I like my mashed potatoes a little lumpy.  Then mix in the mayonnaise and garlic olive oil. Discard of garlic.  Add more salt and pepper if desire.  Enjoy!!