Homemade Ravioli

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Homemade Ravioli Made easy

Homemade Ravioli

This is a simple recipe and you no doubt have the ingredients. It’s been a long time since I’ve taken kinesiology but I can tell you this recipe requires strong hand and arm muscles. Unless, of course, you have a pasta maker. The dough is stiff and definitely will give you a work out. It might be just what you need after a difficult day at work!

Not a time consuming recipe. It would take more time to jump into your car, go to the grocer, buy pre-made ravioli, and return home to cook it. Give it a try! You’ll be pleasantly surprised how easy it is. It’s a recipe and upper body workout in one!

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Wine and Cheese Dinner

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Guests With An Unknown Time Of Arrival +
A Storm With A Potential Outage =

Wine and Cheese Dinner Tonight

Wine and Cheese Dinner

At least that’s my excuse!

You don’t need to be a connoisseur of wine or cheese to put together a nice dinner like this. Choose a variety of cheese textures, add fruit & nuts, bread & crackers. There are so many change ups you can do! Dried fruit is amazing! Want fresh figs but can’t find them this time of year. Substitute dried ones.

Brie, Parmesan-reggiano, Blue Cheese, Gouda are pictured here and are some of my very favorites. Pinot Noir is one of my favorite wine varietals. It will pair well with the Brie and Parmesan … Blue Cheese, maybe a Port, and Gouda a Merlot. Give your guests a variety of cheeses and wine choices … White wines are great too. It’s just fun to try out for yourself.

I do recommend high quality cheese. Brie is a soft cheese with a distinctive white rind. The rind is edible but is often not consumed because of the strong flavor. Do sample the Brie, rind and all, before you purchase if you can … Flavors differ widely. About Parmesan-reggiano … Fortunately I’ve never met one I didn’t like. The rind is edible as well but really chewy. I prefer to use this rind in a soup or sauce to add flavor. Gouda, a medium soft cheese, is usually covered with a wax. This wax is not edible.

The choices are endless here. Be fearless!

Breakfast Pizza

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Easy Breakfast Pizza For Brunch

Breakfast Pizza

What do you think of my girls now! It’s not the cheese … It’s the eggs that give this Breakfast Pizza the bright yellow color. Home grown chickens are amazing! So is this pizza! Add your favorite breakfast topping … Bacon, sausage, linguica. Vegetarians know what to do … Spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes. The list is endless!

This is a high protein breakfast everyone will enjoy!

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Greens – A Staple In Portuguese Cuisine

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Greens – A Staple In Portuguese Cuisine

Kale and Turnip Greens are High On The List

Greens - A Staple In Portuguese Cuisine

But this is Swiss Chard! Already picking this from my garden! As a child I would rather have greens over most vegetables and over all fruit. My children laugh when I say it must have been a nutritional need! These greens are amazingly packed with nutrition!

Years ago the variety of greens at the grocer’s was minimal if not because of availability then just because they were old and unappealing. Today, I still have a time finding fresh turnip greens and sometimes turn to the freezer section. It doesn’t matter if it’s fall when they are in season or not.

Turnip greens were often used in my grandmother’s cooking. Kale was hard to find. These two are the most often called for in Portuguese cooking. For the following two simple recipes you can use kale, swiss chard, turnip greens, mustard greens or even spinach. Of these the most bitter are swiss chard, turnip and mustard greens. Blanching the swiss chard may reduce bitterness but this is not recommended for the other greens. Mustard greens, kale (except for the stem) and of course spinach are more tender. Kale and spinach are delicious in fresh salads.

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Portuguese Beans With Linguica-Recipe 2

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Portuguese Beans with Linguica-Recipe 2

Portuguese Beans With Linguica Recipe 2

On December 8th I posted my first Portuguese Beans Recipe. Now, a real mystery … I believed that recipe to be my dad’s. My brother was discussing the first recipe … And Dan, who happens to be a Portuguese home cookin’ connoisseur, has convinced me the following recipe is dad’s. The main ingredient change is the pinto beans to pink beans. Other family members have confirmed pintos were only used if pink beans were not available. Compare the two recipes. A few other changes are made here, too.

This is a pretty simple recipe … Only minutes to prep.

Serve it as we ate it … over bread and generous slices of linguica. Amazing!

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Mexicali Pasta Salad

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Mexicali Pasta Perfect Salad

Mexicali Pasta Salad

Spicy rich Mexicali Pasta Salad … and not forgetting delicious! This hearty filling vegan salad will satisfy meat lovers too. After a stressful day at work sometimes I need food with a crunch. Ha! This is another versatile recipe. Making small substitutions to make it your own is a good thing. Enjoy!

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Stuffed Bell Peppers and Pan Toasted Bread

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Potato (and Egg) Stuffed Bell Peppers

And Pan Toasted Bread With Linguica

Potato Stuffed Bell Pepper

These stuffed bells are versatile. Breakfast, lunch or dinner menu works … even a side dish. Without the egg this is a perfect vegan dish … My daughter will be pleased.

I’ve teamed up this family brunch with Pan Toasted Bread and Linguica. The guys will go for the linguica. Me too. Oops. This Pan Toasted Bread and Linguica is an easy quick fix and can second as an appetizer too.

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Chunky Root Soup

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Chunky Root Soup Just Happens to Be Vegan

Root soup is a winter necessity on these icy cold days. It’s a little early for Saint Patrick’s Day but you might find this served along with corned beef or beef brisket. It’s just a wonderful meal all alone.  Light enough to have several servings.

Eat it chunky like this or use a blender to give it a creamy texture. I prefer it this way.

If you use prepared vegetable broth this can be ready to eat in 30-40 minutes. I like making my own vegetable broth … my recipe in the previous post. This is a rich recipe not requiring butter or chicken broth. Absolutely the best!

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Chicken Wings Portuguese Style

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Portuguese Style Chicken Wings &

Blue Cheese Dip

Super bowl or Anytime

Chicken Wings Portuguese Style

These Chicken Wings, Portuguese Style, are spicy enough to be called Buffalo wings. Serve with a blue cheese dip and you have a crowd pleaser. Add heat with cayenne pepper. Or if you have few guests that appreciate hot … have a great hot sauce on the side.

Crispy when baked in the oven. Crunchy when pan fried for a few minutes and then placed into the oven to finish cooking.

Chicken Wings Portuguese Style with Blue Cheese Dip for Super Bowl Sunday!

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Easy Spare Ribs With Garlic Mashed Potatoes

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Spare Ribs With Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Another Super Bowl Food

Spare Ribs With Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Here Garlic Mashed Potatoes have been added to the Stove Top Spare Ribs Recipe, previous post. This definitely changes the ease of finger foods for the Super Bowl party. But oh so worth it!

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