Mock "Velveeta" Cheese

There are so many things that are just not available in our little town mountain town of Atenas, Costa Rica.  Consequently, I have become the master when it comes to searching the Internet for substitutes to satisfy a craving for something from the "old country".

This time I was trying to come up with something unique for a New Year's Eve party we are going to attend and it dawned on me I couldn't remember the last time I tasted some yummy Texas Queso Sausage Dip.  The recipe calls for Velveeta Cheese, not something available at our local supermarket, so to pull this off I would first need to figure out how to make some mock "Velveeta" cheese.

Internet search engine to the rescue!  I found a simple recipe in no time at all, using ingredients readily available here in Atenas.  It only took just a few minutes to make it and the taste is even better than the "real" thing.

Thanks go to Wynnebaer of Florida, for posting the original recipe on www.grouprecipes.com.  The following is my recipe with a couple of changes I think make it even better.

Ingredients:
18 ounces of grated Cheddar cheese, divided into 3 equal parts
3 ounces of grated Parmesan cheese, divided into 3 equal parts
3 ounces of grated Mozzarella cheese, divided into 3 equal parts
1 1/2 cups almost boiling water, divided into 3 equal parts
9 tablespoons of instant dry milk, divided into 3 equal parts (1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon)
1/2 envelope unflavored granulated gelatin (1 1/2 tsp.), divided into 3 equal parts

Directions:
I find that a immersion blender and large measuring cup, or small mixing bowl, work best for mixing the batches, but it can also be made in a regular blender.  It's just harder to get the mixture out of the blender with each small batch.

Line a 8x4x2 loaf pan with plastic wrap, or waxed paper.  Put a 1/2 cup of almost boiling water, 3 tbls. powdered milk, and 1/2 tsp. gelatin into the large measuring cup or blender.  Blend on high until gelatin is totally dissolved.  Add 6 ounces of grated Cheddar, 2 ounces of  Parmesan and 2 ounces of Mozzarella cheese.  Blend until mixture is very smooth and creamy. Pour the mixture into the loaf pan. Repeat the same procedure two more times. (Don't worry about any mixture remaining in the bowl after a batch. It will just get mixed in with the following batch.) Cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap and chill overnight before un-molding.

This should yield about a 2 pound loaf. You will notice the loaf does not have the deep yellow/orange color of regular Velveeta because no food coloring has been added.  I like knowing there are no artificial ingredients in it and besides, the taste is great!

Cheese

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Caramel Candy

I saw a recipe recently for Caramel Candy and as usual, I didn't have the required ingredients. So, I decided to invent my own with the ingredients I had on hand and it is delicious.

Ingredients:
1 cup of sugar
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 stick of butter (½ cup)
1 cup of dark molasses*
1 teaspoon of vanilla

Directions:
Melt all ingredients together in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir every couple of minutes until it reaches a temperature of 235°F to 240°F. Be careful that you don't let it scorch.

Pour the mixture into a greased baking dish and allow it to cool at room temperature for an hour. Score the candy into bite size piece that you can break apart when it's completely cooled. Sprinkle Sea, or Kosher, salt on top after you score the candy and you'll have an awesome salty/sweet treat.

*Note:  Here in Costa Rica, I make my own molasses with unrefined brown sugar cakes called "Tapa de Dulce". This is crude sugar cane juice that is cooked down until it caramelizes. Then it's poured into wooden molds and left to cool and setup into brown sugar cakes. I melt the "Tapa de Dulce" with an equal part of water and let it simmer until it reached the consistency of syrup, about 225°F on a candy thermometer.

Miscellaneous

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Crasins Cranberry Relish

It is difficult at best to find fresh or canned cranberries here in Costa Rica. This berry is not part of the local diet, but you can find Ocean Spray Crasins at places like PriceSmart (This is the CR version of Costco). This year I wanted some cranberry relish to take to our Thanksgiving feast with friends so I invented the following recipe.

4 cups dried craisins
1 medium orange
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup corn starch
3/4 cup water

In a medium sauce pan, add the crasins, molasses, orange juice, cinnamon, ginger and walnuts and cook over a low boil until the crasins plump up.

Using a zester or grater, remove all the zest from the orange, being careful to not get any of the pith. Peel the orange and remove all the pith and stem from each of the wedges. Dice the orange wedges and add it and the juice to the saucepan.

Mix the corn starch and water in a cup until well blended and slowly add it to the cranberry mixture while it is at a low simmer. Continue to simmer until the cranberry relish is thick and of the right consistency.

You will never go back to canned cranberries again.

Sauce

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Ginger Snaps

So, yesterday a friend called saying she couldn't find any ginger in our local grocery stores. I had stock piled lots of herbs and spices in vacuumed sealed bags to bring with us when we moved to Costa Rica. Consequently, I have a better collection of fine herbs and spices than can be found locally. I located the ground ginger for my friend and when I opened it to get some for her, it made me hungry for Ginger Snaps.

I searched online until I found a recipe listing ingredients I had on hand, but knew the dark molasses was going to be a challenge. Here in Costa Rica, they sell unrefined brown sugar cakes called "Tapa de Dulce". This is crude sugar cane juice that is cooked down until it caramelizes. Then it's poured into wooden molds and left to cool and setup into brown sugar cakes. I decided the "Tapa de Dulce" would be perfect for making molasses. I melted the "Tapa de Dulce" with an equal part of water and let it simmer until it reached the consistency of syrup. The flavor is amazing. I let this cool and stored it in the refrigerator overnight and today I made Ginger Snaps with the following recipe:


INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup homemade or store bought molasses
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cinnamon sugar for decoration

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt and baking soda into a medium bowl. Run a fork through the mixture to make sure the ingredients are well blended and sift it a second time.

3. In another medium bowl, cream together the shortening and butter. Add the cup of sugar and beat it until smooth. Beat in the egg and molasses until it's well blended. Gradually add in the sifted flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt to the mixture of shortening, butter, sugar, eggs and molasses until you have a smooth soft dough. Roll 1 inch balls of dough between you hands and dip each ball into the remaining cinnamon sugar. Place the coated dough balls onto an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

4. Bake about 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool for a couple of minutes on the cookies sheet and then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Note: Reduce the cooking time for chewy cookies or increase the time for crispy cookies.

This recipe will yield about 3 dozen 3" cookies.

Dessert

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Spicy Carrot Soup - Sopa de Zanahoria

I'm always coming up with new recipes using vegetable and spices to excite the taste buds. You'll find this quick and easy recipe very tasty! John, my wonderful husband that doesn't like vegetables, said I have to add this to the "Make it again" category. Wow, it's so exciting when I stumble upon ingredients that really please him! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Ingredients:
1½ Tablespoon Butter
1 whole Onion, Diced
3 cloves of Garlic, Minced
4 cups Carrots, Diced
4–5 cups Chicken Broth (I make my own. If you use pre-packaged, low sodium is best)
2 teaspoons Cumin
½ teaspoons Coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
1/8 teaspoons ground Cloves
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
2 tablespoons Honey
1½ teaspoon Key Lime or Lemon Zest
1 tablespoon Key Lime or Lemon Juice (We can't get lemons in Costa Rica, so I always use the little limón criolla)
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Pepper
¾ cups Sour Cream or Mild Cheese (grated)
3 Tablespoons chopped Cilantro or Chive (garnish)

Directions:
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté them until they are translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute more. Add carrots and broth and bring everything to a boil. Lower the heat to a slow simmer and cook until the carrots are tender; about 20 minutes.

Remove the soup from heat and use an immersion blender or regular blender to blend soup until smooth. When using a regular blender, you may have to do it in small batches, because hot liquids will spill over the top of a full blender jar. Stir in all the spices, honey, key lime zest, juice, salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream or grated cheese. Sprinkle with a little cilantro or chive.

¡Buen Provecho!

Vegetable

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Canoas de Zucchini / Zucchini Canoes

There is a plentiful harvest of squash and tomatoes right now, so this is the perfect time to make refreshing Canoas de Zucchini!

Ingredients:
2 large zucchinis
2 cups of diced and seeded tomatoes
½ cup of roasted sweet/mild chili peppers diced
1 can of Palmito pieces (Hearts of Palm) diced into small pieces
½ cup of finely diced onion
3 tablespoons of FRESH chopped basil (Note: It must be fresh, or it just won't work. If you don't like basil, you can substitute culantro (cilantro.))
¾ cup of finely cubed, or coarse grated, mozzarella cheese
¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Paprika

Directions:
Slice the zucchini lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Using a sharp knife, take of a thin slice from the rounded side so that the zucchini sits flat without rocking. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place in a microwave dish and cook on high for 3-4 minutes until the squash is cooked. Remove them and place them in the refrigerator to chill for about an hour.

In a medium size bowl, gently toss all of the tomatoes, peppers, onions, palmito, cheese and basil with the olive oil and vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste and place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill.

When everything is chilled, divide the salad mixture into fourths and fill the zucchini canoes. Just before serving, sprinkle a little paprika over the canoes.

¡Buen Provecho!

Vegetable

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Orange Glazed Carrots / Zanahorias con Tapa de Dulce

If you like carrots glazed with brown sugar, you'll love Costa Rica's answer to brown sugar with the "Tapa de Dulce".

The "tapa de dulce" is make fron raw sugar cane juice that is cooked down until it starts to caramelize and thickens enough to firmly set up in the traditional wooden molds. This solid sugar cake of "tapa de dulce" can be bought virtually anywhere, from the supermarkets to the pulperias, and the ferias (farmers'market). For those thinking coffee is the national beverage, you'd be wrong. It's actually "Agua Dulce" made with some shavings from the "tapa" and boiling water. You drink it just like a tea. Depending on the part of the country, the recipe for "Agua Dulce" will vary.  Some make it with milk and some add lemon juice. Regardless of how it is served, it is always delicious.

I use "tapa de dulce" to make glazed carrots and once you try them, you'll never want to go back to brown sugar.

Ingredients:
1 pound or ½ kilo of fresh carrots (zanahorias), peeled and sliced into ¾" to 1" pieces
½ cup of orange juice
½ teaspoon cinnamon (canela)
½ cup of shaved and packed "tapa de dulce"
2 tablespoons of butter
Salt to taste

Directions:
Add all the ingredients to a medium size pot. Bring everything to a boil, then simmer on low for about 20-30 minutes. When the carrots are tender and the glaze is thick, they are ready to serve. Garnish with a little cilantro or parsley.

Vegetable

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King Ranch Chicken

King Ranch Chicken is usually made with creamy canned soups and several cups of cheese.  This is a recipe I found in the "Eating Well" magazine, that I modified to reduce the amount of fat and sodium.   This version still brings all the spicy Tex-Mex flavor goodness we crave. Try experimenting with add additional fresh chopped vegetables like, spinach, squash, corn stripped from the cob, celery, and mushrooms.  Don't be surprised if you have everyone coming back for seconds.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 cup 2% or non-fat milk

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup non-fat plain yogurt or light cream cheese
1 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 4 ounce can of diced green chilies, drained

(You could substitute the diced tomatoes and chilies above for Ro~tel diced tomatoes and chilies, but you'll need 1½ cans, since Ro~tel only comes in a 10 ounce size)

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, or parsley

1 ½ teaspoon chili powder, or more, according to taste

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 ½  teaspoons canola oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 red or green bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced

10 corn tortillas, cut in quarters

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a medium sauce pan, heat broth until simmering.  Add milk and flour to a small bowl and whisk until well blended. Gradually add the milk and flour to the broth and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes, until thickened and smooth.  Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the yogurt (or cream cheese), rotel tomatoes & chiles, cilantro (or parsley), chili powder, oregano and cumin.  Season with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes.

Line the bottom of a shallow 3-quart baking dish with half the tortilla quarters. Top with half the chicken and half the onion mixture. Spoon half of the sauce evenly over the top. Repeat layers with remaining tortillas, chicken, onion mixture and sauce. Top with the Cheddar cheese, Bake until bubbly, and the cheese starts to brown, about to 30 to 40 minutes.

Serves 8

Tex Mex

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Hollandaise Sauce - à la Julie Child

Eggs Benedict!

This is an easy Hollandaise Sauce blender recipe from Julia Child. I modified it a bit for the ingredients available here in Costa Rica.

Ingredients:
3 egg yolks

1½ tablespoons Limón Criollo juice (or less, to taste.) This is the small creole lime found everywhere in Costa Rica. It resembles the Key Limes of Florida.

1 stick of very hot, melted butter

Salt and Cayenne pepper to taste

Directions:
Blend the egg yolks with the limón criollo juice. Drizzle in the hot butter with blender running. The hot butter cooks the yolks and produces a very fine, thick sauce. If you have one, I recommend you use an immersion blender in a mason jar, so that the sauce doesn't cool too fast in the large blender jar. Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste.

Very simple, quick, and absolutely Delicious!!

Thank you Julia!!!

Sauce

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Homemade Chocolate Banana Ice Cream

This is a quick and easy, no-cook recipe.  It's a great way to use up all your overripe bananas.  Whenever we have overripe bananas, I peel and freeze them on cookie sheet.  Once they are frozen I store them in an airtight plastic bag until needed.

Ingredients:
5 large bananas, or 10 small
1 can sweetened condensed milk (395 grams or 14 ounces)
1/4 cup whole milk (60 milliliter or 2 ounces)
3/4 cup cocoa powder (180 milliliter or 6 ounces)
1/2 cup chopped nuts, walnuts or pecans (optional)

Directions:
Peel and slice bananas in a large bowl.  Mash the bananas into a puree. Stir in the milks and mix well.  Gradually add the cocoa powder until well blended.  Transfer the mixture to ice cream maker bowl and freeze according to manufacturer instructions.  If you are adding nuts, you should add them when the ice cream is soft set so they can be evenly distributed.

Yield:  About a quart

MakeItAgain

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Carrot Cake

Today, we were invited for coffee at the home one of my dearest friends in Costa Rica.  I decided to make this Carrot Cake for her as a surprise.  It was an over-the-top hit with everyone going back for seconds.

Update - 14-Aug-2012:  We've been invited to spend Costa Rica's Mother's Day tomorrow with friends and I volunteered to bring dessert.  

This recipe calls for an apple, but since they are so expensive in Costa Rica, we don't buy them very often.  Mango, on the other hand is always available in abundance.  I substituted one cup of puréed mango for the apple.  This is so good, I may never use apple again.

Ingredients:
CAKE:

• 2 cups Sugar
• 1 cup Vegetable Oil
• 4 whole Eggs (or 2 large eggs and 3 egg whites)
• 2 cups Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1½ teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• 2 cups Grated Carrots
• 1 medium Apple, peeled and grated (or 1 cup of puréed mango)

ICING:

• ½ cup (1 stick) Butter, Softened
• 1 cup (1- 8 oz package) Cream Cheese
• 1 pound Powdered/Confectioner’s Sugar
• 2½ teaspoons Vanilla
• 1 cup of Pecans, or Walnuts, Finely Chopped

Directions:
Cake:
Preheat oven to 350° F.

Blend the sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl. In another bowl sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Add it to the first mixture and combine. Then, add carrots and apple, and mix well.  Pour batter into a greased and floured pan (bundt, sheet cake, 9 x 13 pyrex) and bake at 350° F until done, 25 (sheet cake) to 50 (Bundt pan) minutes, depending on the pan you use.

Cool completely.

Icing:
In a large bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese. Add sugar and vanilla and blend. Fold in the nuts.

Spread on cooled carrot cake.

Serve, enjoy the over-the-top oral sensation and repeat as needed.

MakeItAgain

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Red Enchilada Sauce

Every now and then I miss some of the great Tex-Mex food we enjoyed in Houston.  Finding canned enchilada sauce here in Costa Rica has presented a challenge.  I started researching online recipes and nothing came close to what I wanted, so I decided to invent my own red enchilada sauce recipe.  

This recipe is very fast and easy to make.  We think it is the best we've ever tasted.  Give it a try and post a comment telling us what you think.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon flour

1/4 cup chili powder

2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

3 cups salt-free chicken stock

6 ounces tomato paste

14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes and chili (Ro-Tel)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon hot paprika

½ teaspoon cocoa powder

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½  teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a medium saucepan heat oil, add flour, smoothing and stirring with a wooden spoon until paste begins to bubble, about  1 minute.  Add chili powder and cook for 30 seconds.  Add garlic, oregano, cumin, paprika, cocoa and cinnamon.   Stir to combine.  Add tomato paste, diced tomatoes with chili, chicken stock and salt. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken as it cooks. Adjust the seasonings, if needed.  Allow to cool and remove any grease that may rise to the top .Serve atop your favorite beef, chicken, or cheese enchiladas.

Tex Mex

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Potato & Baby Leek Soup / Sopa de Papa y Cebolline

This recipe is based on an original recipe of Emeril Lagasse that I found on the Food Network. I modified it to use ingredients readily available here in Costa Rica.

Ingredients:
6-8 large baby leeks (cebolline), about 1/2 kilo, or 1 pound
2 bay leaves
25 black peppercorns
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons butter
2 strips bacon, chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine
5 teaspoons of chicken bouillon and 5 cups of water (or 5 cups of chicken stock)
1/2 kilo, or 1 pound of peeled and diced potatoes (small)
1 cup peeled and diced carrots (small)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon ground pepper, white or black
1 cup of heavy, or sweet cream
Cayenne pepper, or Tabasco, to taste
3 tablespoons minced cilantro, or snipped chives

Directions:
Trim the green portions of the leek. Take 2 of the largest and longest leaves to make a bouquet garni by folding the 2 leaves around the bay leaves, peppercorns and thyme, vertically and horizontally. Tie into a package-shaped bundle with kitchen twine and set aside. (Alternately, tie 2 leek leaves, bay leaves, peppercorns and thyme together in a piece of cheesecloth.)

Using a sharp knife, halve the white part of the baby leek lengthwise and rinse well under cold running water to rid the leek of any dirt or sand. Slice thinly crosswise and set aside.

In a large soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter with the diced bacon. Stir occasionally, until the bacon is very soft and has rendered most of its fat. It will take 5 or 6 minutes, but don't let the butter burn. Add the chopped leeks and cook until they are wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and bring everything to a boil. Add the bouquet garni, chicken bouillon & water (or chicken stock), potatoes, carrots, salt and pepper. Bring it to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are soft and falling apart, and the soup is very flavorful.

Remove the bouquet garni and puree the soup in small batches in a food processor or blender. Remember that hot soup will expand in the blender, so don't get it too full. I like to puree all but a cup, or two, so the soup has more texture. (If you have an immersion blender, puree the soup directly in the pot.) Stir in the heavy cream and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. We like to add a little cayenne pepper or Tabasco at this point. Serve immediately, with the minced cilantro or snipped chives sprinkled over the top of each bowl of soup.

Prep Time: 16 min
Cook Time: 44 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 1 1/2 quarts soup, or about 6 servings

Soup

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Ranch or Chipotle Ranch Dressing/Dip

This is an easy recipe for a Ranch Dressing or Dip. You can kick it up a notch by adding a hot Chipotle pepper. This is delicious on salads, or wraps. One our our favorite wraps back in the old country was a chicken wrap at Hungry's Cafe in Houston. This wrap was made with a whole wheat tortilla, diced grilled chicken, avocado, feta cheese, lettuce, tomato and black beans. The Chipotle Ranch dressing makes this wrap over-the-top yummy.

Ingredients:
¾ cup mayonnaise (I use light mayo)
¾ cup sour cream (I use natilla in Costa Rica)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice (I've used key lime juice as a substitute)
¼ to 1 cup buttermilk (You can substitute with 1 cup regular milk and a tablespoon of white vinegar)
1 small bunch of chives or 2 scallions, roughly chopped (I’ve used regular onion as a substitute)
Small handful of cilantro or parsley, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp seasoned salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Optional Ingredient:
1 dried Chipotle Morita Chili pepper, finely minced (with or without seeds, depending on how hot you like it)

Directions:
Place all ingredients with ¼ cup of buttermilk in a blender and blend for 10 seconds. Check consistency and add additional buttermilk as needed. A Ranch “dip” should call for less buttermilk, whereas a Ranch Dressing for a salad will use more buttermilk. Store the dressing in an air-tight jar in the refrigerator. It should keep for 2-3 weeks.

Sauce

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Applesauce

I found a bag full of apples tucked back in the refrigerator today. They either needed to be eaten, or cooked, so I put together this recipe for applesauce. It's really delicious!

Ingredients
8 apples - peeled, cored and chopped
1¼ cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt

Directions:
In a saucepan, combine apples, water, lemon juice, sugars, cinnamon and salt. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are soft. Allow to cool, then mash the apples with a fork or potato masher.

Enjoy!

Snacks

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Homemade Vanilla Extract

After 2 days of aging

A couple of years ago, our daughter, Mary, gave us some wonderful homemade vanilla extract. As luck would have it, I dropped the bottle and broke the cap. I never did find a replacement cap, or bottle, so all of the contents evaporated while sitting in a kitchen cabinet.

Needing to replace it, I went to our favorite local grocery store Coopeatenas and found they only carry artificial vanilla flavoring. Not one to settle for less than the best, I started searching the internet for different recipes and finally cobbled this one together.

I just happened to have plenty of vanilla beans stored in a vacuum sealed bag that I had shipped in our sea container when we moved to Costa Rica last year.

Ingredients:
8 whole vanilla beans
1¾ cups of cheap vodka
¾ cup of cheap dark rum

Directions:
Slice vanilla beans in half and then lengthwise. Using a funnel, or a very steady hand, pour the alcohol into a clean, empty bottle. Add the vanilla beans to the bottle and store it in a dark place for a couple of weeks. Once a day, shake the bottle to help speed up the extraction process.

As you use the vanilla in your favorite recipes, you can top off the bottle now and then with some additional vodka and dark rum in a 2:1 ratio. The beans will eventually break down and dissolve, so add more vanilla beans when necessary.

Note to self:  Buy small bottles and more vanilla beans.  May need to make lots more of this for future gift-giving.

Miscellaneous

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Ripe Plantains w/ Sour Orange & Coffee Liquor - Plátano Maduro con Limon Mandarina y Liquor de Café

Plátano Maduro, or Ripe Plantain, is a staple of the Costa Rica diet. It ranks right up there with saying "buenos días." There must be 100's of ways to cook plantains and all the recipes will vary depending on whether the plantain is green, or ripe. When they are still green, plantains can be cooked in many recipes like a potato. When the plantian is ripe, you will find in on the daily casado (blue plate special) in almost all the small restaurants known as "sodas." I put this recipe together today when I tried to recall the recipe my boys' Tico grandmother used to make some 40 years ago. This is not her recipe. She didn't use the coffee liquor in her's, but I think it is a great addition. I think you'll find this Plantain recipe makes a wonderfully sweet, and slightly, tart dessert. ¡Buen Provecho!

Ingredients:
1 large ripe plantain (the skin will be starting to turn black and it will give a little when you press on the skin)
1/4 cup bitter orange juice (you can substitute equal parts or lemon/lime juice and sweet orange juice)
1/4 cup coffee liquor
1/2 cup grated tapa de dulce (or brown sugar, well packed)
1/4 cup of raisins or cranberries
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions:
Peel the plantain and slice in about 1/4 inch rounds. Heat the butter and oil in a non-stick skillet and add the plantain slices. Brown on both sides over medium heat and drain them on a paper towel. Add all the remaining ingredients and simmer on medium/low heat until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the plantain slices back to the skillet and simmer on low for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the skillet and allow the plantains to cool for about 20 minutes before serving.

Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Platano

1

Pico de Gallo Frittata

A Frittata is defined as an Italian style open-faced omelet with other ingredients, such as cheese or vegetables, mixed into the eggs rather than used as a filling. This frittata recipe puts a Tex-Mex spin on the traditional Italian Omelet.

I came across a similar recipe on Pintrest that sounded intriguing, but as always, many of the ingredients are not to be found in Costa Rica. The original recipe called for pre-packaged Pico de Gallo and frozen diced hash brown potatoes. Both of which are items unheard of in Costa Rica. Ro-Tel diced tomatoes and peppers is part of my substitution, because I can get this here, even if it's not the Ro-Tel brand.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups finely diced potatoes (about 2 medium size)
½ cup fresh Pico de Gallo (see easy recipe here)
½ can Ro-Tel diced tomato & peppers (regular flavor - 10 ounce can)
8 eggs
½ cup finely shredded Monterrey Jack cheese or other mild white cheese
½ cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese
½ cup diced ham or pre-cooked bacon (optional)

Directions:
Soak the potatoes in cold water for a few minutes while preparing the Pico de Gallo. Rinse the potatoes well and pat dry on paper towels.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the oil in a 10-inch oven-safe nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes and cook for about 5-7 minutes, until they are starting to get soft.

Beat the eggs, Pico de Gallo, Ro-Tel diced tomatoes and peppers, and cheese in a medium bowl with a fork or whisk. Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes and cook for 3 minutes or until the eggs are beginning to set.

Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes (depending on the size of the eggs) or until the eggs are set. Cut the frittata into 6 wedges and serve.

Eggs

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Mocha Brownies

Since our move to Costa Rica, most of our stuff is still boxed in the casita's garage, waiting for our imminent move into our new Casa. This should occur in within the next couple of week, but that doesn't help me now... I still can't get to my cookbooks. I've been hungry for some chewy, homemade brownies and decided to browse for recipes online. I finally came across a couple of recipes that sounded yummy and cobbled them together. As I started to gather all the ingredients, I discovered my wonderful bottle of vanilla had totally evaporated due a cracked plastic cap.

How do you make brownies without vanilla?

Sitting on the casita's kitchen counter was a bottle of "Cafe Rica," which I think is even better than "Kahlua," and it's less than half the price. I substituted the "Cafe Rica" for the vanilla and the brownies came out "over the top" yummy. I may never make brownies with vanilla again.

Ingredients
1 cup butter
2 cup white sugar
4 eggs
1 tablespoon coffee liquor
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup of walnuts or pecans

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 9x13 inch pan.

In a large saucepan, melt 1 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 tablespoon coffee liquor. Beat in 3/4 cup cocoa, 1 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.

I didn't frost my brownies, but if you want to, go ahead. Here is a simple recipe:

Mix these ingredients and frost the brownies while they are still warm.

5 tablespoons butter, softened
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, or 1 tablespoon coffee liquor
1 and 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

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Mango Coconut Bread Pudding

Ingredients
FOR BREAD PUDDING:
3 whole Eggs
3 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
2 Tablespoons Vanilla
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 cup Coconut Milk
2 cups Half-'n-half, or Milk
2 cups Raw or "Turbinado" Sugar
2 cups Fresh Mango, Diced
1 pound Sourdough Bread, 1" Cubed
_____
FOR RUM SAUCE
½ cup Butter
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 whole Egg
3 Tablespoons Rum, or To Taste

Instructions
Preheat oven to 325° degrees F.

In a large bowl beat 3 eggs, add 3 tablespoons melted butter, 2 tablespoons vanilla, 1 cup of coconut milk, and 2 cups half and half, or milk. Slowly add 2 cups raw sugar, mixing until it is all dissolved. Add diced mango and bread cubes, mixing well. Cover and refrigerate about an hour so the bread can soak up the custard mixture. Grease a 9x13x2" baking disk with butter or margarine. Pour in the bread mixture and bake uncovered for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

For rum sauce:
In a small saucepan, cream the butter with the brown sugar. Add vanilla, stir in the egg, then add the rum. Stir constantly over low heat for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens. An immersion blender works well for this step. Serve warm over individual servings of pudding.

MakeItAgain

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Potato & Chorizo Casserole with Jalapeños

This is one of my favorite casseroles because it's one dish, fast to put together, and a real crowd pleaser.  The Jalapeños enhance the flavor the sausage and potatoes without overpowering them with spice.

Ingredients:
2 pounds of potatoes
1½ pounds of chorizo (or other favorite spicy sausage) 
1 medium red onion
1 medium yellow onion
1 - 5½ ounce can of pickled "Malher* Chili Jalapeño" halves in brine (Depending on your tolerance for hot and spicy, you may want to try this the first time with just a ½ can and work your way up.)
2 teaspoons seasoning salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
1 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Wash potatoes and cut up into 1 to 2 inch chunks. Slice onion into ½ inch slices and then quarter each slice. Slice the chorizo into 1 inch chunks. Toss everything with seasoning salt in olive oil and place in a baking dish. Pour the brine from the Jalapeño over the potatoes and onions. Remove any stems on the Jalapeño halves and slice each half in thin strips lengthwise and toss them with the chorizo, potatoes & onions. Cover and bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Remove cover, top with cheese and return it to the oven for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are done and cheese is toasted. Serve

* The Malher brand of Jalapeño chili peppers are found everywhere in Costa Rica, but they are hard to find in the States. These peppers are milder Jalapeños than what you'll find in most of the grocery stores Stateside. This particular brand will enhance the flavor of any food and not over power it. If you can't find the Malher brand, you will need to adjust the amount of brine and Jalapeños to suit your taste.

Sausage

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Corny Jalapeño Skillet Corn Bread

Lately I've been hungry for some good old fashioned corn bread.  Before we moved to Costa Rica, I would cheat and make Corny Jalapeño Corn Bread in my cast iron skillet with 2 boxes of Jiffy Corn Bread Mix, some Jalapeño peppers and canned corn.  Guess what.... there is no Jiffy Corn Bread Mix on the grocery store shelves in Costa Rica.  I searched for recipes on the internet and finally found a couple of recipes I could use as a base.  I cobbled them together and this is the final recipe I came up with.  John loves it, says it's the best yet, and I'm happy to share it with you.

Ingredients: (makes 1 large 9”-10” skillet)

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1+1/3 cups cornmeal, preferably stone-ground (you can use Polenta in Costa Rica)
• 1 or 2 fresh Jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely minced. (If you use pickled Jalapeños you will need more, and they should be finely chopped)
• 1 cup canned corn kernels
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1+1/4 cups milk (a little bit more or less; enough to make cake like batter)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted or any good cooking oil

A cast iron skillet (if you do not have one, use a thick bottomed oven proof skillet

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 400° F.

In a bowl, sift the all purpose flour with baking powder, black pepper and salt. Stir in the cornmeal.

In a separate bowl, whisk the milk, butter, honey and eggs. Add the melted butter and stir just until blended. Add the corn and jalapeño peppers.

Gradually stir in the dry flour mixture.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to the cast iron skillet and heat the skillet over the stove top or in the oven until the oil shimmers and is really hot. Remove skillet from the stove top or the oven and pour the batter into the hot skillet. When the batter is added to the hot skillet, it will sizzle loudly.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for about 25-35 minutes, or until the center springs back when gently pressed and a toothpick comes out clean. The cornbread should be golden brown and crispy on the edges.

Cooking Time: Approx. 30 minutes

Side Dish

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Sourdough Rosemary Olive Oil Bread

INGREDIENTS
2 ½ cups sourdough starter sponge
(See this post for info on starter: Sourdough Bread)
1 Tbsp. raw cane sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
1 tsp. fresh basil, finely chopped
1 tsp. fresh oregano, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. vital wheat gluten
1 cup bread flour (more or less) + extra for kneading
1 egg, whisked + 1 Tbsp. water, for egg wash
dried rosemary, for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sourdough sponge, salt, rosemary, seasonings, olive oil, vital wheat gluten and whole wheat flour. Using the paddle attachment, mix the dough on low until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 to 90 minutes.

2. Add the white flour and stir with the dough hook for about 5 minutes, until the dough forms a ball. Knead, by hand, on a lightly floured surface for about 2 minutes, adding more flour as necessary to prevent sticking, until the dough is smooth.

3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl; cover; and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 to 2 hours.

4. Punch down the dough and form it into a round loaf by gently rounding the dough on your board. This is done by slowly rotating the dough in a circle, while stretching the dough from side to side, so that it forms a smooth surface all the way around. Place the dough on a cornmeal dusted pizza peel or parchment paper; cover; and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 to 90 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, preheat oven (and pizza stone) to 400 F. Once the dough has risen, gently slash the top diagonally in a couple of places, about ¼” deep, taking care to not disinflate the dough, brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle with dried rosemary.

6. Bake on preheated stone for 35-45 minutes until the top is golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped. The internal temperature should reach 195° F. to 205° F. Let it rest for 30 minutes before slicing.

Makes 1 large round loaf.

Sourdough

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Dad's Sweet & Spicy Hot Dill Pickles

I have been meaning to post this recipe for years. This was my Dad's recipe for his wonderful sweet, spicy and hot dill pickles. I don't think the original recipe was ever written down, so I wanted to document it before I forget how to make them.

Ingredients:
1 gallon of whole dill pickles, any brand, but not Kosher or Polish, just plain dills (I haven't a clue why you couldn't use Kosher or any other dill for that matter. Perhaps dad thought there would be too much garlic.)
2 kilos, or 4 pounds, of granulated sugar
1 whole pod of garlic
1 small bottle of Tabasco sauce

Directions:
Prep the Ingredients:
Drain the vinegar from the pickles. Just pour it out. Yes, that does means pour it down the drain, unless you can come up with some other use for the vinegar, in some other recipe. Cover your table with a waterproof table cloth, because it could get messy. Peel all the cloves of garlic and slice them into somewhat thin slices and set them aside. Now, slice all the pickles into ¼" disks and put them in a large bowl. Wash and dry the original jar and lid.

Pack the Ingredients:
Pour about an inch of sugar in the bottom of the jar, layer in some pickles and garlic, and cover it with more sugar. Keep building layers until the jar is completely filled. I know it will look like everything won't fit, but trust me, it will. You may have to shake the jar a bit to get everything to settle. Once you have the jar tightly packed, pour the ENTIRE bottle of Tabasco sauce in. Don't worry about mixing it. Wipe up any spills around the mouth of the jar with a clean damp cloth. You don't want the outside of the jar to be sticky with sugar, or you won't get a good seal. Now, screw the lid on nice and tight, and set it somewhere out of the way, but where you will see it everyday.

Age the Pickles:
You will need to leave the pickles in the jar for a minimum of 2 weeks. Every morning rotate the jar upside down onto the lid and every evening turn it back right side up onto the base. Do this for 2 weeks and don't cheat and don't taste them.

Enjoy!!
Once the pickles have aged you will be rewarded with the best sweet, spicy hot pickles you have ever tasted. The sugar will draw all the remaining vinegar out of the pickle slices they will be very crisp. You can repack them into smaller jars and store some in the pantry and some in refrigerator. I like these best when they are very cold. They also make a great homemade gift for the holidays.

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