My 10 Favorite Recipes of 2013

I baked and cooked many things this year however, these are my top 10 recipes of 2013.  These recipes were delicious and easy to make and that's why they are my top 10. 

1.  Low Carb Chicken Quesadillas

The 10 Most Popular Recipes of 2013

Here is a list of The 10 Most Popular Recipes of 2013.  These were the most popular recipes searched by everyone that visited the blog.  I hope to continue to inspire you to cook and bake in the new year.   


1. Guava Cheesecake

Cornmeal (Arina de Maiz)

After a weekend of eating all kinds of things, I woke up this morning craving some Cornmeal. I can have cornmeal for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Once the cornmeal cools down I like to add a little bit of cold milk.  That is the way I grew eating it. 

The cornmeal is not too sweet, you can add as much or as little sugar.  I added 5 tbsp, which makes it just right for me.  It makes about 4 servings, so don't feel bad about adding the sugar, you can also substitute for Splenda. 

Ingredients

1 cup water

1 cup evaporated milk

2 cups whole milk

2 sticks of cinnamon

10 cloves

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground cloves

4-5 tbsp sugar

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

1/2 cup finely ground cornmeal

In a pot on medium heat add all of the ingredients except the cornmeal.  Once it starts to boil add the cornmeal, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes, then lower the heat and cook for an additional 7-10 minutes, keep stirring.   Once the cornmeal is done take out the cinnamon sticks and the cloves.  Enjoy!

The Week in Review

Happy Saturday!!

1.  I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas.  I had a great time with my family in South Carolina.  We had  a great dinner that included some of the same dishes we had for Thanksgiving.  We had turkey, arroz con gandules (pegean peas rice), pasteles, pork roast, and lasagna.  Lasagna might be odd, but we do like to eat it with our authentic puerto rican dishes.  I made a flan and took some arroz con dulce to my family too.

2.  So what did you get for Christmas?  My husband and I got a puppy, his name is Caico.  We already have a little boy name Cayman, but we thought he needed a brother.  They are so cute together, we are in love with both of them.  They are the most amazing babies.

Happy Hour: Kinky Vodka

Having a great weekend with the family.  Just made this Kinky Vodka, and it's pretty smooth.  This drink was made using Kinky Liqueur, as the bottle states " A Naughty Fusion of Super Premium Vodka Distilled 5 Times with Succulent Mango, Blood Orange Liqueur and Passion Fruit".  This is a really great drink.

Enjoy!!

Ingredients

2 ounces Vodka

1 ounces Sweet and Sour Mix

3 ounces Kinky Liqueur

crush ice

splash of Grenadine

Add crush ice to a glass.  Then add the vodka, Sweet and Sour Mix, and Kinky Liqueur over the ice and finish with a splash of Grenadine. 

Arroz Con Dulce (Rice Pudding)

Growing up in a Puerto Rican family Arroz con Dulce was something my family and I looked forward to during the holidays.  I learned to make it watching my mom.  She had the biggest aluminum pot you can find. She would make about 10 plates, and believe me all 10 plates would be gone before new years.

I remember the house smelling so good with the cinnamon and cloves. A sign that we were about to celebrate one of the biggest holidays, Christmas.  Christmas brings back so many memories of my mom and dad.  It's really hard, but cooking these dishes makes me happy because I'm keeping up with our tradition. I hope to pass it on to my nephews and nieces.

This recipe is an old recipe, the only thing I changed was not using fresh coconuts. It takes about 2-3 hours to cook the Arroz Con Dulce.  But let me tell you, it is delicious and worth it.

The Week in Review

Happy Saturday!!

1.  There are only three more days to Christmas eve.  We start our celebrations on Christmas eve, and we relax on Christmas day.  When do you start your celebrations?

2.  My husband and I decided to go out to one of the malls in our area and finish our list of gifts.  We went to Perimeter Mall, and I was surprised, that there were not that many people out shopping. 

Happy Hour: Frozen Pineapple Margarita

Let the festivities begin!! This is the last Saturday before Christmas.  Put on the Christmas music and get in the spirit of the holidays.  What better way to start the weekend than with a Frozen Pineapple Margarita.

Baked Pumpkin Custard

Custards are these creamy, delicious desserts that are perfect for any occasion.  Eating this Baked Pumpkin Custard is like eating a pumpkin pie without the crust.  I love making desserts that are easy, and this is one of them. 

Having company over for the holidays? Make this dessert in less than an hour.  The best part about it, you can eat it warm or cold. 

I love that this custard is not extremely sweet.  It's velvety and melts in your mouth!!

Ingredients

3 large eggs

1-15 ounce can 100% pure pumpkin

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie

1-14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 1/3 cups whole milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

boiling water

sweetened whipped cream

cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F

Whisk eggs in large bowl, then add the pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice until blended.  Whisk in sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, vanilla and salt until blended.

Pour into 6-6 ounce custard cups. Place custard cups into a 13x9 baking pan.  Place dish on oven rack in the center of the oven. Pour boiling water into pan around custard cups to a depth of 1 1/4 inches. Bake for 35 minutes or until center are almost set.

Remove custard cups from baking dish and place on wire rack to cool.  serve warm or cold.  top with whipped cream and sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon over the top before serving.

Best Coffee Cake Ever

This is the Best Coffee Cake Ever.  This sweet and delicious coffee cake has a rich crumbly topping that is perfect for breakfast or even as a dessert right after dinner.  I love desserts that I can enjoy with a cup of coffee, and this is one of them.

This is a crumbly topping with cinnamon and pecans.  Super moist and flavorful,  perfect for the holidays.  It's a Christmas morning breakfast cake that everyone will enjoy.