About Anita

Malted Milk Cupcakes

Still in search of the best Malted Milk Chocolate Cupcakes and yet to find a clear malted taste. Even after the addition of malted milk powder the chocolate smothers the taste in so many recipes. So, I refer you to this cupcake recipe. I find has the best malted taste so far. For the frosting … yes, adding malted milk powder does give it a more malt taste. Just add a bit of malted milk powder to your chocolate frosting recipe … hold up on some of the cocoa. Give it a taste test (add more malted if needed) until it has the flavor you’re after. Here’s the frosting recipe I used and just added the malted milk powder to taste. (You will need to add more liquid for the frosting consistency.) Enjoy!


Fried Ravioli

Pasta Sunday + Super Bowl= Fried Ravioli. You still have time and it’s easy. Grab your favorite ravioli, cook according to directions Drain and you’re ready. (This recipe was tried without precooking the ravioli and I noticed an appreciable difference but others didn’t.)

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Skillet Spaghetti

One skillet spaghetti recipe and you have dinner for 6 hearty eaters in 30 minutes! Hey, this is a great Super Bowl dish. It tastes great, and who doesn’t like spaghetti! And another plus, it’s not messy to serve … just spoon it up.

 

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Chinese Mushroom Chicken Soup

When you’re eating late in the day and want something to take the chill away but not leave you feeling heavy and stuffed, try this! So much taste and easily changes up to vegan. Just substitute vegetable both and tofu. Easy! Makes up in minutes!

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Portuguese Chocolate Sausage

What a surprise! My first bite … between fudge and brownie … Not too sweet chocolate flavor with roasted nuts. Chocolate Salami is an Italian and Portuguese favorite. But I have to admit while I lean to the Portuguese side I did add Amaretto instead of Port. Your choice of liqueurs is extensive. Just make it something that goes with chocolate and coffee. Exactly … What doesn’t? Not into a liqueur? Just add a little more coffee in its place.

I came across this dessert at a family reunion. Other foods from that wonderful day I have yet to try my hand. These are coming soon.

Pastéis de Nata

Bolo Levedos

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Date Nut Pinwheels

Grandmother Rose baked these in the fall and winter months. They’re great any time! Chewy and fruity.

Grandma always become distracted when baking these. She was a multitasker. Cookies would then over brown … fruit oozing through the pinwheel on the bottom would burn. Be careful not to do this or these cookies will be a bitter disappointment, literally.

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Texas Caviar

A Good Luck Dish for the New Year! 

It’s not too late! Goes together in minutes. And it’s darn good! Yep, having this again this year. I love it!!

This is great just as a side salad with burgers too.

 

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Ravioli Lasagna

What a simple lasagna dish with an amazing taste! Dress it up or down. It’s up to you. This one is vegetarian and so deliciously simple. Make your own sauce or use the best jar sauce you can find. Needn’t feel guilty about jar sauce … even chefs use it! This is one of those 30 minute meals too. We loved it!

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Portuguese Festa Sopas

We’re passionate about our Portuguese Festa Sopas! This typically once a year Festa is celebrated throughout the San Joaquin Valley (and many other locations). BUT we love to make Portuguese Sopas at home throughout the whole year. The recipe varies a bit from place to place but the basic ingredients remain the same. When I posted our family’s recipe some years ago passions ran high. Others’ remembered differing recipes. I can assure you the Willitts’ (Perry-Freitas) recipe is authentic. This hearty dish has a unique flavor and is not always successfully duplicated at home. Dan (my brother), who put the recipe together for my post, helped with the cooking for these Portuguese Festas in Visalia for a number of years. It’s one thing helping to put food together for hundreds, and then another converting to a small dish accurately just by taste testing. He has completed many taste tests in creating this dish. I’ve tested this latest recipe. It’s exactly as I remember! 

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