Here it is, the second day of May and Cinco de Mayo (the 5th of May) is just around the corner. Let’s face it, Cinco de Mayo is always a good excuse to serve up a wonderful South of the Border feast. Like Saint Patrick’s Day, here in American Cinco de Mayo is a celebration embraced by all. This year, Cinco de Mayo falls on a Saturday – that means a day to party and a day to recover before the reality of Monday comes.
Author: Rosemarie's Kitchen
I'm a wife, mother, grandmother and avid home cook.I believe in eating healthy whenever possible, while still managing to indulge in life's pleasures.
Hunter’s Pork Chops – Heaven on a Plate
On a crisp January evening a few years back, I decided to tackle two new recipes in a single meal. One was for carrots (a post for another day soon) and the other was for Pork Chops. I don’t know about you, but I simply adore Pork Chops. You can fry them, bake them, grill ’em up on the barbecue – the methods are endless. Slathered in sauce, marinated for intense flavor – whatever.
Continue reading “Hunter’s Pork Chops – Heaven on a Plate”Romance and Maria Luisa’s Leche Flan
Did you know that May is National Asian-American and Pacific Islander month? Me either! In light of this revelation, I wanted to start the month off with something special to honor my Filipino-Spanish mother.
Twice-Baked Sour Cream Potatoes
What could be better than an Old Fashioned Baked Potato with the Works? A twice-baked potato, of course! Twice baked potatoes are a delicious cross between a baked potato and a mashed potato served inside its skin.
Sourdough Nutmeg French Toast
Some days I cook to blog, others I cook just to be puttering about in the kitchen. This morning’s French Toast was just me, being hungry and wanting something to go with my fresh pressed morning cup of Joe. I ended up making the toast twice. The first time my camera was in the other room, broken down and packed away in my Cannon backpack. I wanted to whip up French Toast for breakfast. Nothing special – or so I thought until inspiration had other plans.
The inspiration began as I stood in front of my bread cupboard (yeah, a spot in the kitchen dedicated to all things bread-like such as sandwich breads, rolls, buns and tortillas). My plan was to make something very basic, very simple. I was hungry and I wanted it quick. I had planned Cinnamon French Toast, but all that changed when I spotted a loaf of Sourdough bread in the cupboard. Nutmeg French Toast – yeah, that sounded good. And maybe with a kiss or two of vanilla. Yeah, getting warmer. Oh, we’ve got a little heavy cream in the refrigerator. Heavy cream will make that custard mixture even more rich and sinfully delicious. Now we’re getting excited.
I whipped up my breakfast, plopped down at the breakfast bar and poured on the syrup. Oh my word, this was delicious. So delicious that I had to do some quick calculations, grab my camera and do it again to share.
So it’s lights, CAMERA, action . . .
Sourdough Nutmeg French Toast
8 Slices Sourdough Bread (see note)
3 Eggs
2/3 Cup Milk
2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg
2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
1 Pinch Sugar
Butter
Maple Syrup
Note: When selecting bread, pick a Sourdough bread that is soft rather than hard and chewy. Pick a bread that is sliced in a long loaf rather than a round so that the slices are uniform in size. Bread that is several days old works best as it will stand up to the batter without becoming soggy and will toast up nice and golden.
Cut bread to create 16 triangles. Set aside until ready to fry.
Whip eggs in a shallow dish until yolks and whites are well blended. Add milk, cream, nutmeg and vanilla. Whip until smooth. Add sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved into the custard mixture.
Heat a large griddle to about 325 degrees. Oil griddle with margarine, just enough to lightly coat griddle.
Dip bread into custard mixture. Place dipped slices onto the griddle and cook until golden, about 3-5 minutes. Flip bread to “toast” other side. While the toast is still on the griddle, lightly butter each slice. This will allow the butter to melt quickly and the bread will soak in all that wonderful buttery flavor. If necessary, cook the toast in batches so as to not over-crowd the griddle.
Plate on individual plates, pour on the syrup and enjoy! This is wonderful with fresh fruit.
Thanks for stopping by. I’d love to hear your thoughts . . .
Mexican Salsa Rice
A few years back, in honor of Cinco de Mayo and all things Mexican, I decided to cook up all sorts of yummy foods – a week of Mexican dishes leading up to the big event. This super quick, delicious rice was a part of that week-long celebration.
Continue reading “Mexican Salsa Rice”Taquitos in a Spicy Chorizo-Alfredo Sauce
Have you ever made something without fully understanding what possessed you to come up with it in the first place? This is one of those “what the heck” recipes that my family adores! It’s so quick, so easy and yet so packed with flavor. Perfect for a busy night or when you what something that tastes good without a lot of work. The recipe is three ingredients. That’s it. The steps are only three – brown, mix, bake. See, I told you it was easy.
Continue reading “Taquitos in a Spicy Chorizo-Alfredo Sauce”
Portuguese Braised Chicken
Years ago, a dear friend returning from Portugal gave Hubby and I a beautiful bottle of wine from his family’s vineyard. We decided to honor the wonderful gift by serving it with an authentic Portuguese meal. Our friend (a chef in his own right) was kind enough to share his recipe for braised chicken. It was sumptuous! Perfect for casual outdoor entertaining.
Shredded Roast Beef Tacos
The absolute easiest way to make these tacos is to cook up a roast in the crock pot earlier in the week for a family meal. My crock pot recipe is Crock Pot Pot Roast with Potatoes and Shredded Carrots. Select a roast that is larger than what you would typically eat in a single meal, and save the left over roast beef for the tacos.
Continue reading “Shredded Roast Beef Tacos”Delicious Veggie Omelette for One
On a recent trip to the market, Hubby and I were able to get a great deal on eggs – twenty-five cents for a dozen. We checked the date – hadn’t expired. The eggs appeared fine. We figured twenty-five cents wasn’t a lot of money to risk. Besides, I make it a happen of testing my eggs regularly. We all know the easiest way to test an egg, right?
Continue reading “Delicious Veggie Omelette for One”Pink Ladies
It must be cocktail hour somewhere in the world, right? I don’t know about you, but I don’t particularly care for the taste of hard liquor. A full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon allowed to mature for at least 5 years is a delight to the senses. On a warm summer night, nothing can compare to a well-chilled crisp, late harvest wine. But hard liquors? Thanks, but no thanks. For me, a good cocktail is one that doesn’t taste like liquor and sneaks up on you. One minute your are standing tall, the next sliding out of your chair.
Buttery Garlic-Herb Broccoli
A while back, Hubby, Kiddo and I stopped in at a neighborhood steak house for dinner before heading to the theater. I don’t remember exactly what I had ordered – some sort of grilled chicken breast with a side of Broccoli. The chicken was good, but the broccoli was absolutely wonderful. I could have made a meal of the Broccoli – all buttery and bright with a wonderful blend of garlic and other seasonings. Since then, I have been trying to recreate that delicious broccoli at home. Some attempts were closer than others. This recipe is perfect – and a home-run with my guys (which is where it really counts). Hubby said it was some of the best broccoli he has ever tasted. That’s a huge compliment from a man who once complained when I didn’t drown his broccoli in a cheese sauce or Hollandaise sauce or some other sauce.
The blend of garlic and herbs enhanced the beautiful flavor of the broccoli, and the butter – I love melted butter over my veggies. Don’t you? While I generally don’t promote one brand of seasoning over another, after sampling different spice blends – everything from my own combination to the pre-packaged variety – this one had all the flavor I was looking for.
Buttery Garlic-Herb Broccoli
1/2 lb Broccoli
1 Tablespoon Garlic-Herb Blend (McCormick’s has a nice blend)
4 Tablespoons butter, cut into small pieced
1 gallon size zip-lock freezer bag
Cut broccoli into individual pieces and place into the bag. Season with Garlic-Herb seasoning. Shake bag a little to distribute seasoning. Lay bag flat on a micro-wave safe plate. Distribute pieces of butter throughout the bag.
Seal bag, leaving small gap at the center of closure to vent. Micro-wave on HIGH 90 seconds. Turn bag over, micro-wave on HIGH an additional 90 seconds. Check broccoli for doneness. It should be hot and tender-crisp. If still firm, turn bag again and micro-wave on HIGH for another minute. Repeat until broccoli is heated through, tender but not “soft”.
CAREFULLY open bag (it will be steaming hot) and empty into a serving dish. Toss and serve. This easy recipe goes with just about anything. I am particularly fond of broccoli as a side dish to baked chicken.
Fettuccine Bolognese (That’s Inexpensive and Easy to Make)
A true, classic Bolognese is made with ingredients such as veal, pancetta and a good beef stock. When you are cooking on a shoestring budget, veal and pancetta aren’t the sort of ingredients you typically throw into the shopping cart. Not to mention the fact that some people object to veal from a purely ethical standpoint.
Continue reading “Fettuccine Bolognese (That’s Inexpensive and Easy to Make)”
Chicken Florentine Crêpes
I have been wanting to try my hand at Chicken Florentine Crêpes for a while now – ever since I first tasted them at The Crêpe Escape a few years back. Truth be told, I am a sucker when it comes to Crêpes. I adore them – stuffed with savory ingredients, or as a dessert treat. Kiddo and I have been known to scarf down a few freshly prepared Crêpes with nothing more than sweet butter and a dusting of powdered sugar. Our love affair with Crêpes stems from our days of traveling abroad. Oh how the French have mastered Crêpes and Croissant!
Continue reading “Chicken Florentine Crêpes”Crock Pot Pot Roast with Potatoes and Shredded Carrots
Once upon a time, the best thing about Crock Pot Suppers is that Kiddo was the “cook”. All I needed to do was plan the menu, then shop. Print out a recipe in the morning, and the rest was up to him. Now I’m the stay-at-home cook and Kiddo is a working man.
Continue reading “Crock Pot Pot Roast with Potatoes and Shredded Carrots”
Welcome to Rosemarie's Kitchen 