This has been an emotional couple of weeks around the house.  We have changed our original decision about sending our Blueberry Girl to Kindergarten in the Fall.  Since she is a January 1st baby she is on the exact cutoff date for our area. At first we struggled with her being the youngest possible child in the class.  After revisiting the idea we started to really think about how ready she is.  Not to sound like a deluded parent but she really is a bright little girl who is seriously hungry for knowledge.

We went through all the fears we had and we realized that it was really the same fears we would have at any point letting her off into “the world” without us for the first time.  We began to feel that keeping her back would be possibly doing more harm than good for her.  She is so full of life and a yearning to learn and it became clear she needs this opportunity.  As for her social skills, well she is more than confident.  She is not afraid to walk into any social situation and meet new people.  She is the type of child who can belt out “This girl is on fire” in the middle of a party of mostly adults, many who are strangers (true story). 

I admit I am still in denial about it actually happening aside from looking into planning her 1st school wardrobe and thinking of fun lunchbox ideas.  I spied this lunchbox and knew it was perfect, along with this book bag (her 2 fav animals).  Denial and shifting focus is a useful blessing right now.    Anyone have any coping advice?

Cooking is always a wonderful use of time in my book.  I made these very tasty wings and knew I had to share them with you all.  They are super easy to throw together and very delicious. Enjoy!

4.0 from 1 reviews

Sriracha Glazed Chicken Wings

 

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Author: My Love for Cooking

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb Chicken wings disjointed
• White pepper (to taste)
• Salt (to taste)
• 4 TBS Soy Sauce
• 2 TBS Sriracha Sauce
• 1 TBS Brown Sugar (or to taste)
• Dash Sesame Oil

Instructions

1. Preheat to oven 350
2. Season Chicken with Salt and Pepper
3. Mix Soy, Sriracha, Brown Sugar and Sesame Oil set aside
4. Cook Chicken till cooked through (about 45 minutes).
5. Baste wings with sauce

3.2.1753

Wow! I have never had such a crazy time in the kitchen working on a blog recipe.  I set off the smoke alarm and had a very tiny fire (that was instantly put out) happen during the baking of this recipe.  It was admittedly “chef error.” :/

I will spare you the drama by giving you one simple tip I took away from this.  Please use a lipped cookie sheet under your pan when making this.  I had honestly never made an upside down cake before and did not anticipate the caramelizing sugar syrup to overflow from underneath and that is how I got into trouble with the smoke alarm.  The fire started when my quick drip fix was to throw a piece of aluminum foil under the pan after I wiped the bottom down….nope did not work, hence the fire.  Sheesh!  I thought the cake was a goner honestly after all this, but it came out perfect.

This is a really nice twist on the traditional Pineapple version and it is just sweet enough without being overly sweet.  Take the proper precautions please and enjoy!

5.0 from 2 reviews

Mango Upside Down Cake

 

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Author: My Love for Cooking

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 stick melted unsalted butter
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1-1½ Mangos sliced
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 cups Flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Melt butter and allow to cool a bit
3. Carefully pour ½ of butter into the pan and move around to keep from sticking
4. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter evenly
5. Place the sliced Mango pieces in a single layer over sugar
6. Combine Buttermilk, the remainder of butter, eggs sugar, flour, baking soda and salt
7. Mix till well combined
8. Pour batter and spread evenly over Mango slices
9. Place the cake on a lipped cookie sheet and bake from 45 minutes to 1 hour depending your oven.
10. Allow to cool for at least five minutes before transfer.
11. Carefully flip onto a plate or cake stand

Notes

*You can also use a Cast Iron Skillet in making this

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We have been some really busy Bees these days.  Taking on the community garden plot has been a lot of hard work.  However, it is finally starting to look  like progress is starting.  I am so happy that the lovies get so much pleasure out of just being out in nature.  The weeds have been no joke though!  It looked like a tiny lawn between each row after the first few days of rain. I have to admit when I started weeding in the rows I had to really watch to make sure I was pulling the right things!  Haha!

Mike and I were actually able to manage a little “get away” to see George Lopez preform on Friday.  We had a really great time and it was so nice to get away together for a night.  It is so important to still have “dates” with your spouse.  It always gives us a little extra reminder of why we first got together.  It feels wonderful to just laugh and focus on one another for a little bit now and then.  It also made it that much sweeter to go home and eat up the lovies from missing them.

Now to the main event.    Originally I had first thought to share the original Cashew Chicken recipe but I decided to shelf it a few months ago.  Then just recently I was tap dancing through Pinterest and came across the idea to make a meatball version.  I have here my own version of what I felt made me think of Cashew Chicken.  I hope you enjoy.

4.0 from 1 reviews

Cashew Chicken Meatballs

 

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Author: My Love for Cooking

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb Ground Chicken
• White pepper (to taste)
• Garlic Powder (to taste)
• Salt (to taste)
• 1 Scallion Finely diced
• ½ Red Bell Pepper
• ¼ Cup Cashews (chopped up)
• 4 Tbs Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• ½ Tbs Sugar (or to taste)
• Dash or two of Sesame Oil
• ¼ cup Plain Panko Breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Mix Soy Sauce,Sugar and Sesame Oil together and set aside.
3. Season Chicken with Garlic, White Pepper and Salt to taste.
4. Chop Scallion,Cashews and Bell Pepper, add to Chicken
5. Add Panko Crumbs.
6. Add about half of the Soy Sauce mixture.
7. Mix all ingredients till combined.
8. Form into meatballs of desired size.
9. Place on baking sheet and cook for 15- 20 minutes.
10. Brush with left over sauce after cooking.

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The warm weather has really sparked a flurry of outdoor activity already.  It is amazing how invigorated a little sunshine can make you feel.  I have been spending a lot of time picnicking and playing with the lovies.  It means the world to me that they love nature as much as they do.

We have also been doing a lot of gardening.  Aside from my raised bed garden I have also taken on half of a plot of my mother in law’s community garden.  I was a bit shocked at how much space this actually turned out to be.  I went from wondering if I would have enough room to expanding to a few vegetables I had not originally planned for.  That is the great thing about unforeseen opportunities, they give you chances you never knew you wanted to take.

I know it is only a little garden but it really has lent me a great deal of enjoyment and peace in a beautiful but very fast paced existence right now.  The idea of what I can possibly bring to life and use to feed my family and create with is exciting.

*Fingers crossed* I have Campari Tomatoes, Eggplant, Leaf Lettuce, Basil, Green Beans, Sugar Pumpkins, Zucchini, Broccoli, Thai Chiles and Jalapenos that will grow.

Speaking of food, on to the recipe.  I have long been curious to try my hand at making a pudding with Quinoa.  My first attempt was very well received by the lovies but I found it a little thin.  I had used a refrigerated blend of coconut and almond milk and it did not seem to set as I would have liked.

This time I used canned Coconut milk and a bit more cornstarch and it achieved the luxurious and creamy texture I was looking for.  To quote my lovie girl “Mami’s Chocolate pudding is my favorite treat.”  FYI it beat out Ice Cream for her.   Give this a try and you may just have a new favorite too.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Quinoa Chocolate Pudding

 

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Author: My Love for Cooking

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• ½ cup uncooked Quinoa
• 1 cup Water
• ½ cup Sugar
• ⅛ tsp Salt
• 2½ Tbs Cornstarch
• 1 Tbs Unsweetened Cocoa
• 1 Egg
• 3 Cups Canned Coconut Milk (1½ cans)

Instructions

1. Place Quinoa and water into a saucepan with a tight cover and bring to a boil over medium heat then reduce to heat to low and allow to cook covered for about 15-20 minutes or until middles are clear and “tails” appear inside.
2. In another saucepan whisk Sugar, Cornstarch and Salt and Cocoa. Then whisk in Egg. Add milk and whisk to combine. Add in Cooked Quinoa.
3. Heat to med, med-high and stir constantly while bringing to a boil. Allow to boil for about 30 seconds then remove from heat.
4. Allow to cool for about 30 minutes uncovered.
5. You can eat warm or (as we did) refrigerate and eat chilled.

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I have to start off with talking about how excited I was to make this recipe.  Kimchi was definitely love at first try for me when I first had it as a young girl.  It is a perfect side dish to Korean food and for me the spicier the better.

As some of you may know my Mother in Law is Korean.  She was born there and married my hubby’s father and moved to America when she was 19.  They are the sweetest and cutest couple and the best “second parents” any girl could be lucky enough to have.

For Christmas she gave me one of the cookbooks I was looking for called “The Kimchi Cookbook” by Lauren Chun.  It is a really wonderful book which covers everything from traditional recipes to more modern creations.

Once I got the book we were both looking forward to trying out some of the recipes.  We agreed that starting off with a traditional dish would be a great first attempt.   It was so much fun to work together on this.  It was especially memorable because it was actually a first for both of us to make. 

This recipe is time consuming but it was actually pretty straightforward to make.  It was a very proud moment indeed when we saw the results and the taste was very good.

Some of the ingredients may seem a bit difficult to get but they can easily be found at any Asian marketplace.

Stuffed Cabbage Kimchi (Poggi Kimchi – Traditional)

 

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Author: My Love for Cooking

Serves: 20

Ingredients

• 2 large heads Nappa Cabbage (roughly 6-7 lbs total) yellow leaves picked and cut lengthwise
• 1 cup Kosher salt (divided into ¾ and ¼ cup)
• Seasoning Paste
• ¼ cup salted shrimp
• ¼ cup anchovy sauce
• ¼ cup Sweet Flour Rice Porridge*
• 3 Tbs minced garlic
• 1 Tbs peeled finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 cup Korean chile pepper flakes
• 1½ lb Daikon Radish (1 medium) julienned into 3in strips
• ½ cup water
• Food handling gloves
• 2 wide mouth glass containers

Instructions

1. Sprinkle ¼ cup of the salt onto the cabbage halves – all along the core, outer base and between each leaves
2. Stack cabbage halves on top of one another in a large bowl or stockpot
3. Allow to dry brine for ½ hour
4. Fill the bowl with just enough water to cover the cabbage
5. Add the remaining salt and stir to dissolve
6. Taste test the water – it should taste like the sea
7. Brine for 8-10 hours with a heavy plate on top to keep submerged
8. Turn cabbage halfway through brining – it will wilt, sink and shrink
9. If after the 10 hour brine the leave are still firm allow to brine for another hour and check again
10. When done lift out cabbage and drain
11. Fill another large bowl with fresh water and rinse cabbage by shaking in the water
12. Shake out the cabbage and allow to drain (cut side down) in a strainer for at least 40 minutes
13. While it drains make the seasoning paste
14. In a small food processor, pulse together shrimp, anchovy sauce, porridge, garlic, ginger and sugar until smooth
15. Move to a large bowl and add the chile pepper flakes and radish – let sit 15 mins
16. Put on food handling gloves
17. Take the cabbage halves and spread generously all over the leaves core and between each leaf (work from outer leaves to inner ones)
18. Spread stuffing around and then fold cabbage over the cut side
19. Place the halves into the wide mouth glass container(s)
20. Stuff as tightly as possible
21. add water to any remaining seasoning and pour evenly between two containers
22. Cover tightly
23. Let sit room temp for 4-5 days, refrigerate and consume within one year (I put in fridge same day)

Notes

Sweet Rice Flour Porridge
Ingredients:
1 Cup cold water
2 Tbs Rice Flour

Instructions:
1. Prepare an ice bath In a small saucepan bring ¾ cup water to boil.
2. Dissolve rice flour in remaining ¼ cup water.
3. Add flour mixture to water and mix for 15-30 seconds till it resembles a glue.
4. Put pan in ice bath till cool.
5. Mix after cooled to bring back to room temp.
*This can be made ahead and kept in fridge

3.2.1753

A good Foodie Friend of mine Bakeaholic Mama  (she is awesome btw check her out) was just talking about her current “Baby Fever” she has been having and it made me realize I have a touch of it too.

No, no before you get the wrong idea I am NOT looking to have a third lovie!   I am very content with my set.  However, today as we shopped for a “big boy bed” for my little mister (now that he is doing so well with potty training) I couldn’t help but tear up a little.

As I looked at him growing literally way too fast (he is so tall for 2 1/2) I can’t stop myself from wishing he would slow down just a bit.  I know he is still such a baby and he still needs me so much, but it is a still hard to see it pass by so fast.

I suppose knowing he is my last baby makes it seem to slip away that much quicker.   I am so very proud of all his progress, but there are times I do wish he was still small enough to be my “gumball” again.  Sheesh I still wish that about my Blueberry girl!  Haha.

At the end of the day it is fine because every step is precious and miraculous in its own way.  Although I wouldn’t be surprised if I end up like that Mom from “Love you forever” sneaking across town to their houses and rocking them to sleep singing the song (I have it up on his nursery wall) :

“I’ll love you forever.  I’ll like you for always.  As long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.”

Okay, on to the fish!   This is a very flavorful and super simple dish.  You can make the sauce ahead of time and make it an even quicker weeknight meal.  I used a grill pan to cook the fish but cook it anyway you like.  It pairs well with rice or noodles would also be very nice.  Enjoy!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Salmon with a Spicy Garlic Sauce

 

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Author: My Love for Cooking

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 2 Salmon filets
• White pepper (to taste)
• Salt (to taste)
• For the sauce
• 1 Tsp chopped garlic
• ¼ cup scallions sliced
• 2 Tsp Toasted Sesame Seeds (diced or crushed with side of knife)
• 3 Tbs Soy Sauce (I used Low Sodium)
• 1 Tbs Sesame Oil
• 1Tsp Coarse Red Pepper Flakes (in Asian market) or Crushed Red Pepper
• 2 tsp Brown sugar (or to taste)

Instructions

1. Wash and season fish to taste.
2. Cook fish as desired (grill/grill pan, oven or frying pan) till cooked through.
3. While fish is cooking (or make ahead of time if desired) prepare sauce and set aside.
4. Once fish is cooked pour sauce over it and serve.

3.2.1753

This has been quite a week for sure! We are in the “real deal” stage of potty training my 2 year old baby boy lovie. It is really an exciting time but I have to say there is a tinge of sadness at seeing my baby boy grow up so fast. He has really taken to it quite well and we are so proud of him.

We have also implemented a way to encourage positive behavior in both the lovies. We had previously tried a star chart method that was honestly tedious to track and we gave up on it.

Mike got an idea from a friend at work that has worked like a charm. We’ve started a token system to motivate the kids. We use home game poker chips and the cylinders they came in.  Each time the babies are “caught being good” such as doing an unprompted act of kindness or helpfulness they get a token.  There are also the staple tasks such as getting ready for sleep routines and napping, and for little mister potty success counts as well.  When the cylinders get filled they earn a trip to get a small prize for all their good deeds.

Yesterday was a big day, PRIZE DAY! The lovies were so excited to go and get their rewards. We headed over to Target and a mere 2 hours later we finally left, haha!  Blueberry girl was done in 10 minutes when she saw the Cinderella doll on the shelf.  Our little Poppy boy was not so easy to come to a decision (not sure where he gets that from .  He changed his mind about a million and a half times and we finally left with a ball (to add to the pile we have at home).

As for me, I have been trying hard lately to set reasonable goals for myself in all areas of my life.  Some days I am better at keeping those promises than others but I am making progress.

I feel that it is important for me to embrace this time of transition while looking for a job in my field and I am working to make the most of it.  However, it feels important to find balance and not lose myself completely to the constant demands of being a Stay at Home Mami again.

I have managed to find some little ways to do that for myself.  I have begun an exercise routine where I am working out 5 days a week at home first thing in the morning.  The lovies have been so wonderful with knowing they need to work on a project or other tabletop activity while Mami does her workout. In the rotation there are Yoga workouts that range from Vinyasa Yoga, Yoga with weights and Yoga for sculpting as well as a couple Bollywood inspired workouts that are really super fun.  I am a bit of a closet Bollywood movie fan .

I have also had some goals for myself here on the blog.  My “to cook list” has been sitting for quite some time now and I have often let life get in the way.  At times I have gone with something else that felt more convenient.  This is not to say that I don’t put recipes I love on the site.  I always try to share things that really mean something to me.  However, I have neglected some things I am surprised I have not made.

This recipe here was something I have had on the shelf (in another form originally) from quite a bit ago.  I really enjoyed the idea of the spicy and sweet and touch of a salty combination.  I hope you will too.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Sriracha Sweet Potato and Bacon Hash

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

12 mins

Total time

22 mins

 

Author: My Love for Cooking

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

• 2 medium Sweet Potatoes
• ½ Red Pepper Diced
• ¼ Red Onion Diced
• 2 small cloves garlic diced
• Sriracha (to taste)
• Salt (to taste)
• White Pepper (to taste) or Black Pepper
• Olive oil drizzled (about 2 Tbs) and some for pan
• Bacon (4-5 strips)
• Egg (optional for topping and amount depends on # of ppl eating)
• Low Sodium Chicken broth (optional for hydrating while cooking)

Instructions

1. Spread Bacon on a cookie sheet and cook on 350 till crisp (about 10 -12 mins, turning halfway). Drain and set aside.
2. Clean, peel and dice the sweet potato
3. Season the potatoes to taste with salt, pepper and Sriracha
4. Drizzle a little olive on the potatoes and mix well
5. Drizzle a bit more oil on the pan
6. Heat to medium heat and then add potatoes
7. Cover and cook till half cooked
8. Add the pepper, onion and garlic and add a bit of broth if it gets dry
9. Cover and continue to cook till potatoes are tender and veggies are softened.
10. Plate and add crumbled Bacon
11. Cook egg(s) to desired texture and top hash with it

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Ahh Banana Fries, how they take me back to our Honeymoon in Jamaica.  It seems like so long ago now that we spent those first few married days basking carelessly in paradise.  Now five years and two lovies later it is a very different kind of magic in our everyday lives.

I can still remember the feel of the sun and the hauntingly gorgeous water and beaches.  There was such a sense of peace being on vacation in such a setting.  I had never been to such a beautiful hotel and island such as this before in my life.  In those days of romantic escape all the cares of the world were very far away indeed.

One of the best perks was all of the extremely delicious food offered at the resort.  At first it felt funny to go to 5 star quality restaurants and not even be able to leave a tip (due to it being all inclusive).  We were able to try a different cuisine almost every night and were never disappointed.

My one whine has to be that it was not until 2 days before we were going to leave that I discovered the best thing I ate the entire time.  We decided to stick poolside one afternoon and went to a tiny outdoor spot nearby.

I was instantly excited when I saw the menu.  They had Jerk Pork and Chicken, Rice and Peas and all the traditional island favorites.  One thing that immediately caught my eye on the menu was the “Banana Fries.”  They are basically Plantains (non sweet ones) cut like fries and fried…..genius!  I grew up eating this type of Plantain as Tostones (twice fried version).

They were delicious and went perfectly with the Jerk Pork.  I was a little sad I discovered it too late but I made the best of it by visiting as much as I could before leaving .

Give these fries a try and you may drift away on a cloud of Steel Drums and Sunshine. Okay you won’t but you will still be glad you did.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Banana Fries

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

6 mins

Total time

11 mins

 

Author: My Love for Cooking

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3 Unripe Plantains (Green in color)
• Salt to taste
• Garlic powder to taste
• Oil for frying

Instructions

1. Chop off ends and peel Plantain
2. Cut Plantain in half
3. Cut each half into “french fry like” strips
4. Season with Garlic and salt to taste
5. Heat oil to med-high
6. Fry till golden on each side
7. Serve immediately

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How wonderful are surprise long weekends? On Friday Mike woke up and decided to take a personal day to spend with us. Yea! We decided to go to a Children’s Museum with the lovies for our day away.

Now that little mister is able to get around it was so fun to see him be able to participate in an outing like that. He had so much fun exploring and seeing the animals. It was the first time he was really able to share the awe, so wonderful!

Our little Blueberry Girl was magic in such a setting. She lit up during the Egyptian exhibit. I was amazed and so happy because I have had a lifelong fascination with the history and wonder of Eygpt. She really was in complete awe taking time at each artifact.

It was such a relaxing and fun morning made even better that it was a surprise.

After lunch and nap time for the lovies we popped back out to go “thrifting” for some food styling items for the site. We were only able to find a pieces or two we liked.  However, I have to say that I stumbled upon one of the greatest finds. I happened to glance in the record bin and right on top was a recording of Pablo Neruda reading his poetry and it was only a dollar!! I am the biggest Neruda fan, I even had a bi lingual version of one of his poems read at our wedding. True I have no record player but what does that matter?

We ended our night with some amazing Thai take out and a “couch date”….perfect!

Last night we had dinner with our lovely cousin Julie (that I adopted as a sister) and her family from Mike’s side.   She is the voice behind Saucy Gardener. We are so excited to welcome her into the Food Blogging world.

I am always so excited to cook for company. I admittedly do go a bit overboard at times. It seems no matter how much I prep ahead of time I still have so much to do to pull things together.

I decided on a “Trinirican” meal of sorts. As many of you know I am half Trinidadian and half Puerto Rican. I grew up with a great love for both types of cuisine.

I made Coconut Rice, Banana Fries (coming soon), Coconut Shrimp and Crab Cakes, Mango Salsa, Black Bean, Corn and Avocado Salad and the main event…Jerk Pork (Trini Style)

In Trinidad and Tobago they have a version of “Sofrito” if you will, that is called “Green Seasoning.” There are different versions but I found one that I liked very well. In the states here it is very difficult to find one of the main ingredients Chadon Beni, but do not despair you can substitute Cilantro like I did.

I toned down the spices just a pinch to keep my guests comfy but feel free to use hot peppers or a seriously hot jerk powder if you like.

5.0 from 2 reviews

Jerk Pork (Trini Style)

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

Author: My Love for Cooking

Cuisine: Caribbean

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 3-4 lbs Pork Boneless Country Ribs (diced into cubes)
• Green Seasoning*
• Jerk Powder Seasoning Hot (your choice -I used a blend I got visiting my sister in NY from a spice shop) to taste.
• Salt and Pepper to taste.
• Juice of half a lime.

Instructions

1. Wash and cube meat
2. Coat with dry seasonings (Jerk and Salt, Pepper)
3. Season with Green Seasoning and mix well
4. Squeeze Lime on top and mix again
5. Marinate meat at least overnight (for best flavor)
6. Brown meat till cooked through (I used a grill pan)

Notes

Green Seasoning – 1 bunch cilantro, ½ onion, 4 garlic cloves, 1 small handful chives- roughly chop, remove cilantro stems and blend.

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We live in a fast paced world where we all feel pressure to be so busy and to get things done.  There never seems to be enough time to for all the things we set out to get done.  I know that for me there is always a list of things that I mean to accomplish which seem to elude me at every turn. Such is life.

When it comes to food I really try to take my time and put my love into what I make, especially for the lovies.  There are of course those days where you order take out or just try and grab something quick due to a lack of energy or time.  I try to push myself to cook everyday but I give myself a pass sometimes for a day on the weekend.

For those weekday nights where it seems like dinnertime sneaks up with ninja speed I have a few tips to help you save the day.  We all know the junk that is in way too many of those packaged processed food items.  It can seem like a harmless shortcut at the time  but it can easily become a unhealthy habit.

I searched high and low and tried to find you lovelies a healthier alternative to those tempting packages.  With a little prep ahead of time you can save yourself a lot of time later and feel good about what you are giving your family.

Here is a collection of some DIY convenience foods to keep on hand.

Instant Oatmeal Packets

Breakfast Sandwiches

Waffle Mix

Pancake Mix

Whole Wheat Baking Mix

Cake Mixes (Includes Dietary and Allergen Friendly ones as well)

Instant Vanilla Pudding

Frozen Pizza

French Bread Frozen Pizza

Hot Chocolate

A mixed list

31 DIY’s and a Substitute list