This is a very delicious potato dish that is served on holidays in the Caribbean. This is a reblog of an earlier post (posted exactly one year ago, in fact), simply because I like this picture so much better. This was taken when I cooked this year’s Thanksgiving dinner. It was much sunnier than last year. I love this spicy/sweet West Indian … [Read more…]
My Beautiful Home
For Throwback Thursday, I am throwing back to my days in the USVI. Lovely place, lovely people, great food. If you are looking for a wonderful vacation spot – look no further. Also, make sure to explore this Virgin Islander’s blog that I linked to. Enjoy 🙂 … [Read more…]
Thanksgiving menu : Roasted Turkey (with a Lemon Garlic Marinade)
I love Thanksgiving. I love being with friends and family. I love the sentiment of being thankful. And, I really, really love Thanksgiving dinner. I have heard lots of people say that they don’t really care for turkey. That it’s bland or blah, or whatever. I do really like turkey. When it is brined and then properly seasoned, it is really … [Read more…]
Thanksgiving and Holiday Season : Macaroni Pie /Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Thanksgiving season is upon us. We have just about 3 weeks to plan and shop. What constitutes the perfect Thanksgiving dinner varies according to region and each particular family. To me, my childhood Thanksgiving dinner is the epitome of comfort food, so I may add to it, but there are certain items that must be on my table or it is not … [Read more…]
Ropa Vieja in the Slow Cooker
This is a lovely dish of shredded beef, with a delicious sauce. It is really easy to put together, since you prepare everything, set it in the slow cooker, and go about your day. Ropa Vieja is a Cuban dish. It translates to “old clothes” , because it looks like shredded old fabric. It tastes a heck of a lot better than old clothes, though. … [Read more…]
Preparing Chicken for Cooking the Levantine Way
This blog has been mostly recipes up to this point. I feel that it is important to go deeper into the Levantine kitchen than to just give you the recipes. I will add the tag “Kitchen information” to this post, and to all such posts that give you information regarding ingredients, and preparation instructions. This post is regarding preparation … [Read more…]
Black Beans with Potatoes
This is a simple side dish that I like to serve with stews, roasts, tray bakes, or grilled meats. Recently, I made it with the previously posted Chicken Fricassee. If I have a winter squash like butternut, calabaza, or acorn, I like to use that instead of the potatoes. Over rice, this is perfectly hearty enough as a vegetarian meal. Black … [Read more…]
Chicken Fricassee
Chicken Fricassee, Puerto Rican or Cuban style, is one of my favorite chicken stews. I like it with rice, red or black beans, and salad. If I have unripe plantains, I also love tostones to complete the meal. You don’t have to allow the extra time to marinate, but I prefer the flavor of the chicken when I have time for that step. When I am making a … [Read more…]
Black Bean Soup
This is a simple black bean soup that we had for lunch, perfect for a cold, end-of-December day. It gets some color from the addition of potatoes, butternut squash, and carrots to the black beans. We served it with some cooked rice on top. Colorful Black Bean Soup 1 onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, chopped 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon … [Read more…]
Cruzan Potato Stuffing
So, Thanksgiving has come and gone. I didn’t hurry to post my T-giving posts, since it is already over anyway. However, as Christmas is on the horizon, this will be fitting for then. One of the must-haves in my family’s Thanksgiving dinner menu (or any time we make turkey, which is several times a year – we LOVE it and look for any occasion to … [Read more…]