We love our history. We love our tradition. And if you want a taste of Portugal in all its colors and rhythms take a peek here on TikTok.
Portuguese Paella may not be a part of our personal family history but it’s a dish that’s bound to impress your guests. Bold, colorful and packed with flavor. It brings a touch of festive elegance to the table. A modern classic that’s perfect for sharing.
Know Your Potluck Crowd Before You Spend Hours in the Kitchen. One thing I’ve learned about potlucks is this; not everyone loves the same dishes, and not everyone will dig your homemade cottage pie no matter how long it takes you to prepare it. Before you commit to an hour+ of preparation; peeling, chopping, baking, take a moment to think about who’s really showing up and what they actually like to eat. For my hospice group I might have considered “funeral potatoes” as my sister-in-law calls them. I’m still not sure how I feel about that name but here’s the recipe I never thought to take to a post-funeral gathering (or a potluck).
Some folks are perfectly happy grabbing a quick fruit salad from Save Mart. Others might swear by Kentucky Fried Chicken. Case in point, like the manager who once spent time with Mother Teresa, and yet arrived bearing a fruit salad straight out of a dusty old cookbook, not Julia’s or Fannie’s. That’s the quirky charm of potlucks, the people with the most interesting stories often bring the safest dishes. So, instead of overdoing it, whip up this cottage pie in minutes. It might be the hit on the table or not. That’s the gamble. You were asked to bring a dish after all, not a crowd pleasing garlic French bread. Just know your people. Snails may be a luxury in some circles, but if my friend brought them to a potluck I’d have to pass with the politest smile I could manage.
Straight from the garden, just picked cucumbers tossed within minutes. Nothing but garden freshness with a minimum of ingredients you most likely have in your fridge and pantry. Pure deliciousness.
Here’s my grandmother’s upscale version. She loved to serve this salad in the summer along side a perfectly cooked steak. We were a happy bunch, those summers!
Nothing like a sweet baked beans serving to go with those hamburgers and hot dogs, tri-tip too. There are those quick doctored canned beans recipes, yep, I even have one. But home baked are truly best. Now, to cut back on the baking time with the same delicious results.
You’ve got to at least try this! Did I say rich?! This is a versatile recipe; meat or no meat, spinach or kale, add melty cheese for a cheesier finish (Yes, bacalhau too, if you’re into it.) but it’s delicious just the way it is. The process is a bit time consuming if you roast the red peppers as well as the egg plant. Jarred red peppers in olive oil are just as tasty for this recipe. Note: Slice the egg plant as uniformly as you can to avoid uneven roasting. This recipe is worth the process! And I didn’t even mention the delicious bechamel sauce. Yep, this recipe is quite a combination of tastes. Let’s get started.
You won’t find my next post recipe in Little Italy or any trattoria. This lasagna is inspired by the bold flavors of Portugal; roasted egg plant, red pepper sofrito replaces the red sauce, smoky linguica or chourico, and a velvety cheese bechamel. A little Azorean spirit in every layer. I can’t wait to put this together and share. Soon.
In the meantime, enjoy these Portuguese fusion-like recipes I prepared, much to my family’s surprise and delight.
Sloppy Joe
Spaghetti
Pizza
Croque Monsieur
Pozole
Chowder
Unlike a tossed salad the chop salad holds a bit of everything in every bite. Think of it this way … It’s similar to a hearty soup vs a broth. The flavors are layered and filling. The basics are similar for each salad: iceberg for crunch, romaine for earthy taste with a bit of bitter, red or green onions, bell pepper or jalapeno (optional), tomatoes (prefer Roma), cheese, and broccoli (optional). Chop each, see photos for size. (Click on picture to enlarge.) Next is adding your signature ingredients to make it your own.
Note: If you have a bag of greens mix like spring mix this works well for the lettuces, too. Chopping this is quite easy. Place the mix in a large glass, ceramic or stainless steel bowl and use two sharp knives with shorter blades, like a steak knife blade. Hold a knife in each hand. Place the blades down (perpendicular) into the mix to the bottom of the bowl. Criss cross as you cut. This goes quickly. Cut until you achieve bite size leaves.
Every now and then I try a new recipe just to shake things up even though I already have a few favorites. I recently made a buttermilk chocolate cake from another blog. (Here I am about to taste test.) It looked promising and had that classic feel but when I took a bite something was missing. It wasn’t bad, texture was nice, but the flavor was surprising flat. I realized it came down to salt. The recipe used only 1/4 teaspoon to balance over 4 cups of dry ingredients and 2 cups of liquid. It reminded me of how important salt is in a chocolate cake where it enhances depth and balance. So, today I’m revisiting some of my own buttermilk chocolate cake recipes that I believe do it right.
It’s a baker’s secret! It adds moisture, tang and tenderness. Combined with cocoa or melted chocolate and the right amount of salt it creates a richer more developed flavor. The recipes following show how a few choices like buttermilk and seasoning make all the difference.
The recipe I tried also skipped vanilla extract which is a small but mighty ingredient. Even in a rich chocolate cake a teaspoon of vanilla adds warmth. Then there’s butter. I almost always use salted butter. Some bakers swear by unsalted for precision but I’ve baked this way for years and I love the flavor balance it brings. I estimate it brings 1/4 teaspoon salt per 1/2 cup which I take into account loosely. But mostly I just go by taste. So, between buttermilk, salt, vanilla and salted butter these cakes hit all the right notes.
Devil’s Food Chocolate Pound CakeWhy I Love It: Ultra chocolatey and rich without being too sweet. The buttermilk helps tenderize the crumb and the generous amount of cocoa keeps the flavor deep. And lets not forget the salt.
Flavor builders:
1 Cup cocoa powder
1/2 Teaspoon salt
Buttermilk + butter for moisture and flavor
German Chocolate CakeWhy I Love It: A classic that gets better the next day. Melted German chocolate, buttermilk and a touch of extra salt make this complex.
Flavor builders:
Buttermilk for tang and softness
1/4 to 1/2 Teaspoon salt (self-rising vs all-purpose)
Rich frosting finishes it off beautifully
Why I Love It: Fun, nostalgic and a little unexpected. The cola adds sweetness and moisture but it’s the buttermilk that makes the texture perfect. Salt brings it back from being too sweet.
Flavor builders:
Hot cocoa
Cola
Butter syrup
Buttermilk
Salt for balance
Trying that new recipe reminded me of something important, chocolate cake needs balance. Just a small tweak like adjusting the salt can turn a fine cake into one you crave. If you’ve never baked with buttermilk or if your chocolate cakes have felt a little bland lately try one of these. They’re not just chocolate cakes with buttermilk but cakes where each ingredient knows its role.
We interrupt your regularly scheduled summer sweets for a bean salad! Before we dive into rich fudgy goodness of chocolate cake, here’s a little intermission. Enjoy this repost! Yep, a buttermilk chocolate cake is next!
Of course our eating habits are quite different from the 60’s. I’ve made a few changes to this recipe but it can even be brought closer to date by simply adding blanched green & yellow beans instead of the canned variety … Just as mom’s Layered Salad might better include baby spinach leaves or a spring lettuce combination instead of iceberg to make it more palatable for many. Those are easy fixes. But sometimes it’s just fun to “remember when” and leave the recipe as it was … Especially on Mother’s Day! OK, I have to admit 3/4 cup sugar in the dressing is way too much.
Great high protein meal for those with little time for cooking. Layer this over pasta or rice for a deliciously perfect dinner. This is a recipe caught on TikTok. I had to give it a try. It was introduced as a crockpot recipe ready in 4 hours at high heat. Mine was cooked stove top for greater control over the simmering process. A crockpot while convenient can heat to a constant boil drying the meat to a toughness. If you do try the crockpot for this set to low and cook more slowly. Save those leftovers for additional meals in the week or freeze.
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