Vegetarian Pozole Verde

One of my favorite recipes that I wrote for my old food column in the now-defunct Cosmo for Latinas magazine (R.I.P.), was this vegetarian pozole verde recipe.

0

Beef Picadillo Empanadas

A version of this Beef Picadillo Empanada recipe first appeared in my food column in Cosmo for Latinas magazine back in 2012. The magazine and its website, unfortunately, closed down a few years ago and all the recipes I wrote for it disappeared along with the magazine.

I was cleaning out some files in my computer and figured I could republish a few of my favorite ones here on the blog for you to try. The version of these beef picadillo empanadas that I'm publishing here is actually a full one that includes a homemade crust. For the magazine, my editor asked me to use store-bought puff pastry crust instead to make it easier and save space so the homemade crust was cut out, but I'm the boss of this website, so here it stays!

0

Easy Cochinita Pibil (Mexican Pulled Pork)

This simplified version of the classic Mexican pulled pork shoulder recipe, Cochinita Pibil, originally appeared in the food column I used to write for Cosmo for Latinas magazine (a sister publication of Cosmopolitan).

The magazine and its website sadly shut down a couple years ago, and the nearly all the recipes and columns that I wrote for it disappeared along with the magazine, so I thought I'd repost a few of the recipes here for you to enjoy!

0

Quenepas

I think I was nine the year I went to Puerto Rico with my dad for his friend's son's christening. My mom and brother stayed home for reasons I can't remember, so for a couple weeks it was just the two of us, exploring the island and eating.

Like me, my father likes to snack and feast, and thinks about his next meal midway through the current one. He gladly handed dollar bills out the car window to panhandlers on the highway selling plantain chips and bags of cucas--these hard round cookies about the size of my palm that tasted of ginger and shortening (with a hint of exhaust). They're the kind of cookies you gnaw on instead of chew, and I could gnaw through a bag for the better part of an afternoon while driving across the island.

8

Spicy Fish Tacos with Chili Lime Mayo

The first time I tried fish tacos was on my honeymoon in Vieques, Puerto Rico. Vieques is a small, mostly virgin and unsettled island located about a 2-hour ferry ride (or 15-minute flight) away from the main island.  We spent two weeks of our honeymoon there, eating picnics on the stunning empty beaches and enjoying dinner at a few of the small casual restaurants located in the tiny main part of town.

The menus were simple, but the food was always wonderful, and my favorite thing were the fish tacos. Fried pieces of local fish served with a cumin-spiked mayonnaise, diced cabbage and a big shower of lime. Just a few ingredients, but it was the spices and quality of fish that made it all so incredibly good. After the fourth or fifth time ordering them, my husband asked if perhaps wanted to try something else.

0

Nicaraguan Macuá Cocktail

One of the first things I tried on my trip to Nicaragua this past Fall was a Macuá cocktail. Noted as the national drink of Nicaragua, the fruity tropical cocktail is named after the equally bright and lovely parrot, which is native to Central America (a Macaw, in English).

A simple mix of fresh lime juice, guava juice, and rum (preferably the local favorite, Flor de Caña), the drink is a not-too-sweet welcome to this gorgeous Central American country.

I was there to learn how to surf along with a group of other US-based travel writers and bloggers, and we were in the process of traveling from the airport in Managua to the beach city of San Juan del Sur where the surf retreat we attended (CHICABRAVA) is headquartered.

We stopped off for lunch and pictures in the lush courtyard of a cute restaurant in Granada, a welcome respite after a day spent traveling by plane and car.

With my own tropical roots, guava has long been one of my favorite fruits, and the flavor is one that always wakes up sweet memories of afternoons on my grandmother's balcony in Puerto Rico sipping cold fruit juice, or the fruity pastries and custards we grew up eating.

As much as I love dessert, I'm not a fan of overly sweet cocktails, but found that the balance of flavors is just right here. I recommend using a bottle guava nectar (Goya makes a good one), or whisk up your own by sweetening frozen guava puree to taste. (Again, Goya is probably the way to go for this ingredient.)

If you're lucky enough to make your own guava puree from fresh fruit, well then I'm insanely jealous of your good fortune!

***
Loved this recipe? Here are three other Cocktail Recipes you might like:

• Double Apple Spritzer Cocktails
• Pomegranate Rose Champagne Cocktails
• Spiced Apple Cider Rum Punch Cocktail

And let's connect so you can find out the next time I post! Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates.

Thanks so much for reading

Macuá Cocktail Recipe
Serves 1, multiply as needed

Ingredients
2 ounces white rum (Nicaraguan Flor de Caña rum is most traditional here)
2 ounces guava juice or nectar, shaken well before measuring—both pink and yellow guava work
1 1/2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
Cocktail cherry and lime slice, for garnish

Directions
Combine rum, guava juice, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice, cover and shake until shaker is frosty.

Fill a tall cocktail glass with ice and strain in drink. Garnish with a cherry and slice of lime, and serve.

0

Puerto Rican Arroz con Leche

Arroz con Leche has long been one of my favorite desserts. This traditional Latin-style rice pudding is a bit looser than the classic pudding, and flavored with cinnamon and citrus zest.

Growing up, my dad would always order rice pudding at a local diner, and the two of us would share it for dessert. Neither one of us was a fan of the raisins, so we'd leave them on the side. In this version, I decided to skip the raisins in favor of rum-soaked cherries.

SO much better, and they add a sexy, almost ambrosial flavor to the final dish.

This simple recipe can be served warm straight from the stove, or cold in small pudding cups. It's ideal for entertaining, but I confess that it's the leftovers that make me most happy, since I can then enjoy them for breakfast while still in my pajamas, one spoonful at a time.

This recipe for arroz con leche is from my holiday eBook, The Puerto Rican Christmas Table, which features dozens of sweet and savory Latin holiday recipes perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and really any day of the year!

Click here to buy the eBook, and scroll down for the recipe.


****
Loved this recipe? Here are three other Latin holiday recipes you might like:

• Coquito: Puerto Rican Coconut Eggnog
• Polvorones (Puerto Rican Almond Shortbread Cookies)
• Rosca de Reyes (King Cake)

And let's connect so you can find out the next time I post! Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates.

Thanks so much for reading

Arroz con Leche
Serves 6-8

Ingredients
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup dark rum
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
1 teaspoon kosher salt
5 whole cloves
4 cups water
1 large egg
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 granulated white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon, for serving

Directions
Combine cherries and rum in a small bowl and microwave 1 minute. Set aside and let soak while you prepare the pudding.

Combine rice, cinnamon, vanilla bean (if using), lemon zest, orange zest, salt, cloves, and water in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer for 10 minutes or until water has mostly evaporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, milk, cream, sugar, and extracts. Pour into rice, and stir until combined. Let simmer on medium-low about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally just until it starts to thicken. (Note that pudding will continue to thicken as it cools, so err on the side of stopping sooner for the silkiest texture.)

Remove from heat, stir in the soaked and strained cherries. Let cool before chilling. Serve cold with a sprinkle of cinnamon as a garnish.

 

0

Rosca de Reyes for Three Kings Day

Rosca de reyes (also known as Roscón de reyes) is a Spanish and Latin American dessert bread traditionally served on Three Kings Day, which is celebrated on January 6th. The holiday, known as the Epiphany, marks the day the wise men arrived to see and bring gifts to the newborn baby Jesus.

The soft, buttery yeasted bread is sometimes filled with rum-soaked fruits and decorated with candied fruits, nuts, or strips of sugar paste (similar to that found on Mexican pan dulce). There are as many recipes as there are bakers, but the flavors tend to be similar, with hints of citrus, almond, anise or cinnamon.

As an added surprise, a small baby figurine (meant to represent the baby Jesus) or a bean is usually hidden inside. The person who finds it in his serving is crowned king or queen of the day, and is responsible for hosting the next party.

There are actually many different versions of these celebratory breads throughout the world; you may also known it as "King Cake," which is popularly eaten in New Orleans and other parts of the South around Mardi Gras (King cake season technically starts on the Epiphany and then extends all they way through to Mardi Gras.)

In France, they eat a round cake known as galette de rois--made with puff pastry and a luscious almond cream.

Growing up, my family actually never ate rosca de reyes as it's not really common in Puerto Rico.

Instead, we celebrated Día de los Reyes by placing shoeboxes filled with grass under our beds on the evening of January 5th. In the morning, we'd wake to find presents where the box of grass had been, believing that they had been left for us by the wise men, whom we called "los reyes magos."

(The grass had been left as a snack for their camels.)

As a child, I used to wonder how all those camels fit in my bedroom. My parents used to scatter some of the grass around my bedroom rug and disturb a few things to make it seem like the camels had been there knocking things over with their big camel butts, and would tell us that they had special magic that would make sure we slept through the whole thing.

It was all pretty special and magical indeed, and I loved that, as one of the only Latinas in my elementary school, I got to have this whole other extra day of Christmas wonder to extend the season.

Plus, you know...the presents.

I've seen this sweet yeasted bread around for years, and thought it would be a fun way to commemorate the holiday this year, especially now that nobody leaves presents under my bed.
(I tried. No camels.)

I started off by making the yeast dough, which is a fairly simple yeast dough enriched with butter, milk, and sugar.

It's similar to a brioche, with the addition of a few dashes of extract (I chose almond and anise) and some rum-soaked fruit.

I then made the topping, which is what you see in that photo above. This is kind of a paste made by kneading sugar, flour, butter, and an egg yolk. (How gorgeous is that golden yellow egg yolk?)

It produces a sweet, almost sugar cookie-like crust on the top of the bread that I really had to resist eating on its own.

Sliced almonds, some sparkly red sugar sprinkles from the Dollar Spot bins, and a few red maraschino cherries finished off my design.

I kept it fairly classic, but you can really have fun here and go either the traditional route--with candied citrus--or get creative: nuts, chocolate drizzles, sprinkles or any kind of icing would also work!

Don't forget to add the trinket! I didn't have time to buy a plastic baby trinket, so I went through my drawers and decided to add this tiny little Poppin' Fresh figurine instead.

(He looks kind of baby-like, right?)

Traditionally, a dried bean or a coin would work, too!

When you cut into the bread, the dough is soft and studded with bits of the chopped fruit.

I used mostly apricot, but raisins, cranberries, figs, cherries, or just about any other dried or candied fruit would work, too.

It's wonderful served slightly warm with coffee or with a bit of soft, salted butter. The perfect treat for afternoon snack or breakfast.

 I hope you give this recipe a try, and that it becomes a part of your new Three Kings Day holiday traditions!

Rosca de Reyes (Roscón de Reyes/ Spanish King Cake)

Active Prep Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Prep Time (rising time): 90 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 1/2 hours

Ingredients

For the dough:
1 cup chopped dried fruit (apricots, cherries, cranberries, figs, etc.--use your fave!)
1/3 cup golden rum (or orange juice for a non-alcoholic option)
1 packet active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon + 1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
1 vanilla bean, split in half (optional; substitute 1 tablespoon vanilla extract)
2 teaspoons almond extract
1/2 teaspoon anise extract
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 1/2 - 4 cups all-purpose flour

For the decoration:
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon green food coloring (optional)

1 cup sliced almonds (or other chopped nut like pecans)
Red sprinkles or sanding sugar
Maraschino cherries or candied citrus slices

For the egg wash:
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water

Directions
Make the dough: 
Combine chopped fruit and rum in a small bowl and microwave 30 seconds. Stir well to combine and let soak.

In the base of a mixer with dough hook attached, combine yeast, warm water, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Stir to combine and let sit 5 minutes until frothy.

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the milk, butter, remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, orange and lemon zest, and vanilla bean. Let simmer until butter is completely melted, remove from heat, then remove the vanilla bean, scraping in the seeds with a knife. Stir in the almond and vanilla extract.

Add to the yeast mixture along with the eggs, salt, and 3 cups flour. Mix the dough adding more flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides and forms a ball.

Add the soaked fruit with the rum, and let the dough knead at high speed for 5 minutes or until smooth and just slightly sticky to the touch.

NOTE: If dough is too wet, add a bit more flour. If dough is too dry, add a bit more milk or water.

Pour a few tablespoons oil in a large mixing bowl, add the ball of dough and flip over once to cover with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap, and let sit in a warm location for about 1 hour, or until dough has doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Shape the Dough:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Knead out the air in the dough, then form into a smooth ball and poke a hole in the center, pulling it out until the dough forms a large doughnut shape or ring. Place in the center.

The baby: If you’re adding a plastic baby toy, tuck it inside from underneath now. Note that you should let guests know there is a hidden baby in there so that nobody loses a tooth.

Make the decorative sugar paste: 
Combine the egg yolk, flour, butter, powdered sugar, and extract in a bowl and knead into a smooth dough. Divide into 4 or 5 equal pieces (you can dye part of it green, if you’d like) then press into small strips about 1 1/2” by 4” and lay along the ring of dough.

Decorate: Whisk the remaining egg and use a pastry brush to coat the dough with the egg wash. Sprinkle on sliced almonds, sprinkles, and sugar in a desired pattern. Dot the surface with maraschino cherries and dried fruit, if using.

Bake 25-30 minutes, or until golden, risen, and shiny. Cut off any excess sugar paste, and transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Serve warm or room temperature with coffee or dessert.

0

Spicy Mexican Mole Baked Ziti

Well, it’s officially freezing here in NYC!

I’ve been spending my days layered up in leggings, sweaters, fuzzy socks and booties, even the occasional blanket-worn-as-a-shawl!

Very stylish, I can assure you.

The other thing I do to stay warm is look for any and every excuse to turn on the oven. Cake? Let’s do it! Reheat leftovers? Into the oven! Toast? Why not! I’ve been baking desserts, braising meats, broiling fish—really just about everything.

And since I knew I had to create another easy Latin-inspired dinner recipe for my sponsored Barilla partnership, I figured it was about time for a rich and comforting baked pasta dish. Hence, this gorgeous Spicy Mexican Mole Baked Ziti!

So much Latin-Italian fusion going on here.

Growing up in northern New Jersey, I ate a LOT of baked ziti. It was the ultimate cozy dish for cold winter nights, and a total crowd-pleasing recipe.

This is one of those Sunday dinner kind of recipes, when the whole family is over and you’ve got lots of hungry mouths to feed. The leftovers are amazing, too, making busy Monday and Tuesday just a little bit easier on you.

I added a bunch of Latin flavor to a traditional baked ziti recipe, by using a spicy, flavorful Mexican red mole sauce.

Mole is actually a name for several different kinds of Mexican sauces made from a mix of ground roasted chiles, tomatoes, chocolate, and spices. It’s rich, smoky, spicy, and full of complex flavor. Traditionally, making mole meant hours in the kitchen of roasting and grinding.

Now while I actually did make mine from scratch, you could easily use a good store-bought sauce—there are so many great ones available today so there is no need to spend hours in the kitchen like Abuela used to. Look for it in the Latin aisle of well-stocked grocery stores, or even online.

Mixed with regular old canned crushed tomatoes and a bit of chipotle adobo sauce (also easily found at the grocery store), it creates the most amazing smoky pasta sauce ever. It’s a really cool way to infuse a little bit of classic Latin tradition into your everyday.

For the cheese, I used ricotta cheese and shredded queso Oaxaca, which is a Mexican cheese that’s very similar in taste and texture to mozzarella.

I used Barilla Ziti for this recipe for obvious reasons (this is baked ziti, after all), but you could easily substitute your favorite Barilla pasta shape. Something like penne or rigatoni would work well, too.

Whichever shape you choose, I think Barilla's pasta is particularly perfect for baked dishes like this one because the quality is such that it really holds its shape once cooked, and doesn't break up or get all clumpy.

When making baked pasta dishes, it’s really important to undercook the pasta to avoid getting mushy pasta after the additional bake time. Even al dente is a bit too much in this case!

I recommend cooking the Barilla ziti for about 8 minutes, then immediately draining and rinsing under cold water to stop the cooking. When you put it in the oven to bake, it will finish cooking and your final dish will come out absolutely perfect!

Just 45 minutes in the oven until super bubbly and melty, and you will have an amazingly easy dinner to serve the whole family.

For more easy pasta recipes with Latin flavors, visit pastaatuestilo.com. This is a sponsored post on behalf of Barilla, however, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive sentiments towards Barilla or their products. I only work with companies that I genuinely use and love. Thanks to them--and you!--for making all this possible.

Mexican Mole Baked Ziti
Serves 8-10 

Ingredients 
1 box Barilla Ziti pasta (or other small tube shape like penne)
Kosher salt
Olive oil
1 pound button mushrooms, sliced
2 cups Mexican red mole sauce (store-bought or homemade)
2 cups crushed tomatoes
3 tablespoons chipotle adobo sauce
1 pound ricotta cheese
1 pound queso Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions 
Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti for 8 minutes, or until just slightly harder than al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and toss with olive oil. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet set over medium heat and sauté the mushrooms until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Whisk together the red mole sauce and the crushed tomatoes. Add all but 1 cup of the mole-tomato mixture to the pasta, and toss gently to coat.

Add the ricotta, the adobo sauce, and 3/4 of the shredded cheese (reserving the rest), and the cooled cooked mushrooms. Fold in gently until evenly mixed.

Pour pasta into a baking dish, cover with the remaining mole-tomato sauce and top with the remaining shredded cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes or until bubbling.

Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.

0

My ebook: The Puerto Rican Christmas Table

I'm so thrilled to share my brand new (and very first!) eCookbook with you. It's called The Puerto Rican Christmas Table, and it features 40+ classic Puerto Rican holiday recipes, restyled for modern kitchens all in a beautiful, full-color digital format perfect for your laptop, iPad, tablet, or mobile phone! 

You can click here to purchase and download the book (only $7.99!), or scroll down to read a bit more about how it came to be!

I have a tendency to do things on a whim.

It’s how I started Always Order Dessert nearly 7 years ago. It’s how I subsequently quit my job and turned that blog into a career.

And, it is how this book came to be.

The eCookbook

A couple months ago, I thought it might be a nice idea to pull together a few of my favorite Puerto Rican Christmas recipes to share in a small free PDF. I was thinking maybe 3 of the ones already on my blog with 1 or 2 new ones, all repackaged as a cute little document to go along with my holiday cards.

I started thinking about what could go in it, and that's when the trouble started...

The wheels in my head started turning (as they tend to do), and those 5 recipes grew to 10, then 20, then 30, and on and on. Within about 24 hours that "cute little PDF" turned into a full on 100-page digital cookbook!

And so, the marathon began. About 5 weeks, many (so many!) late nights, hours of research and testing, daily grocery store trips, 1 broken camera, an actual trip to Puerto Rico, and I can’t even tell you how many dirty dishes later, and I’m proud to finally share this eCookbook with you!

The recipes in this book are mostly ones that I grew up with. Classic side dishes like arroz con gandules and mofongo; desserts like tembleque (jiggly coconut pudding) and budin de pan (caramelized bread pudding); and classic entrees like pernil (roast pork) and pavochón (Puerto Rican style roast turkey).

There are also some new and totally not traditional twists, like my Pigeon Pea Hummus.


All New Recipes

Sample pages from the eCookbook

Slightly more than 80% of the recipes in the book are totally brand new and not found on this blog.

The ones that are also on the blog have all actually been retested, tweaked, and updated based on years of comments from you fine readers.

For example, my popular from-scratch rum cake recipe, which on the blog calls for you to create a separate homemade pudding mix, has been rewritten so that you only need one simple recipe--no extra steps!


Fresh Ingredients & Simple Techniques

Puerto Rican Pernil, from The Puerto Rican Christmas Table eCookbook

What do I mean by "restyled"?

It means that I took classic, well-loved recipes, and shook them up a bit. With very few exceptions, I replaced processed ingredients with fresh ones (for example--canned milk is replaced with fresh milk or cream), and eliminated unnecessary steps.

I also introduced the use of modern appliances like blenders and food processors to make somethings super quick and simple!

I'm so happy with the way this book turned out, and I hope that you will enjoy it. Whether you grew up eating Puerto Rican food, have enjoyed it on vacation, or are completely new to the cuisine, I think you will find plenty of recipes and ideas to stir up your imagination.

Click below to purchase and download now!

0

Easy Cuban-Style Ropa Vieja

Ropa Vieja has long been one of my favorite Latin dishes. It's a classic Cuban dish made from slow-cooked shredded flank steak stewed in a savory broth of tomatos, peppers, herbs, and spices.

It's savory and flavorful, without being spicy, and is absolutely wonderful served over rice with sweet plantains or creamy avocados on the side.

The name "ropa vieja" is Spanish for "old clothes." The idea being that the shredded meat is supposed to look like a pile of tattered old clothing.  An admittedly weird, and unappetizing simile, but it's so good so I'll forgive it.

The other thing I love about it is that, despite the incredible, complex flavor, ropa vieja is actually one of the easiest dishes ever to make. You really only have to combine a bunch of ingredients in a pot and let the stove do all the work. About 31/2 hours of gentle simmering, and the dish is ready to serve.

No babysitting, stirring or even much prep work required.

While most recipes require that you brown the meat and saute the ingredients in steps, I've never felt that those extra steps were really necessary.

I literally just put everything into the pot, and let it go. It's much easier and the final dish is still so rich and flavorful, all the while saving you extra time and clean-up.

Ropa vieja is also one of those recipes that can be made a couple days in advance. In fact, it's often even better when allowed to rest overnight in the fridge. 

With increasingly colder days upon us, this cozy comforting dish is one that you should definitely add to your repertoire.

P. S. If you like this recipe, you should also try my Cranberry Ropa Vieja, which is absolutely perfect for fall!

P. P. S. Want more Latin celebration recipes? Check out my eCookbook: The Puerto Rican Christmas Table with 40+ recipes and full-color photos. Click here to learn more!

****
Love Always Order Dessert? Let's connect! Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates. And if you ever need any entertaining or cooking advice, please don't hesitate to e-mail me. Thanks for reading!  
 

Ropa Vieja Recipe
Serves 8

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
2lb flank steak
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cubanelle pepper, thinly sliced
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
3 cups low or no-sodium beef or veal stock
1/2 cup white wine (such as Chardonnay)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
3 large bay leaves
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup sliced spanish green olives with pimentos
1/4 cup capers
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, finely minced
Prepared rice, for serving

Directions
Place a heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the oil and sauté the onions and peppers until soft.

Cut the flank steak in half, then season on all sides with the salt and pepper.

Add to the pot along with the tomatoes, beef stock, wine, sugar, cumin, oregano, paprika, bay leaves, and garlic. Stir to combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and let simmer for about 3 hours, or until meat is tender.

Use two forks to shred the meat, then add the olives and capers. Stir then let simmer 20 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Stir the cilantro in at the end.

Serve with rice.

0

Chimichurri Pasta Salad

Chimichurri--the savory, spicy herb sauce from Argentina--is one of my absolute favorite condiments. Typically served with churrasco or other grilled steaks, it's also fantastic used in other dishes as a spread or sauce. In this pasta salad recipe, easy homemade chimichurri takes the place of pesto for a light dish that's perfect on its own or as a side with your favorite protein.

This is the second out of three Latin pasta recipes I'm creating for Barilla this Fall, and it's one that I think will work well all year long. Enjoy it warm or room temperature in the cool months, and serve it as a cold pasta salad when the weather heats up again. It's perfect for those days when you're looking for a quick and creative alternative to rice or the other usual side dishes

The trick to make this dish sensational is to make the chimichurri from scratch--a super simple process (you really just need a blender or a food processor and about 2 minutes!) that really makes all the difference as it allows you to control the ingredients and adjust the seasoning so that it is perfect for your family.

Do they love spice? Feel free to pump up the red pepper flakes. Or play around with the herbs you know your family loves.

While traditional chimichurri is made with just parsley, I like to add cilantro to brighten up the dish. If you're not a fan, you can just skip it and use all parsley (or replace it with another favorite herb like basil or mint!).

I love using Barilla® Plus® multigrain Elbows for this dish. They're 44% higher in protein, have almost twice (!) as much fiber than traditional pasta, and--due to the small shape--create the perfect balance between sauce and pasta in every mouthful.  It's a natural choice for a pasta salad, and a great way to introduce your family to more nutritious whole grain pasta.

(And don't worry, because the taste and texture is seriously just as good as the regular kind. Eugene--who is notoriously picky about these things--couldn't even tell the difference!)

I served my pasta salad as a side with grilled steak, the way I would typically serve rice. The chimichurri flavors worked perfectly with the steak, and the savory pasta was a welcome change to the usual rice and beans. You can also dice up grilled chicken or cooked shrimp and toss with the pasta to make it a complete meal all on its own.

Have you ever served pasta as a side dish with your dinner? What other kinds of protein would you pair with this dish--let me know in the comments below!

For more easy pasta recipes with Latin flavors, visit pastaatuestilo.com. This is a sponsored post written as part of my ongoing partnership with Barilla, however, the recipes and opinions are entirely my own. I have not been paid to publish positive sentiments towards Barilla or their products.

Chimichurri Pasta Salad

Serves 8

For the pasta:
1 pound Barilla® PLUS® elbow pasta (or your favorite variety)
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

For the chimichurri sauce:
1 1/2 cups fresh parsley with only the bottom two inches of stems removed (about 1/2 average sized bunch)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions
Bring 1 gallon of water to boil in a large pot. Once the water is boiling, season  with 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt.

While the water boils, combine all the chimichurri ingredients in a food processor or blender, and puree until very smooth.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook 1 minute less than package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water, and add the cooked pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat well. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

Let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or chill in refrigerator overnight. The flavor will improve after a couple hours of sitting.

Pasta can be served cold or warm as a side with steak, chicken, or other protein.

0

Baked Argentinian Chorizo Empanadas

Empanadas have long been one of my favorite savory snacks. A delicious dough-y package filled with goodness? Yeah, it's tough to go wrong.

I grew up eating the Puerto Rican kind, which are called pastelillos, and typically made from a fried chewy crust stuffed with a variety of fillings (everything from ground meat to sweet guava paste). Cheese was usually my favorite, and when my mom made them, I would camp out near the stove stealing them as they came out of the pan.

One of my best friends in high school was Colombian, so at her house, we ate crispy little yellow empanadas made with a thick corn dough, often served with a spicy dipping sauce.

I also loved the pastelitos sold at the bakeries in the nearby Cuban neighborhood. Those were flakier with more of a puff pastry-like dough, and I usually went for the sweet versions filled with guava paste and topped with a sticky glaze.

As I grew older, I got to taste more and more, and recently have grown quite smitten with Argentinian style empanadas. Unlike the ones I grew up with, these are typically baked, and made with an easy soft dough that is a cinch to prepare at home.

I don't like to do much frying in my kitchen because I don't have a hood over my stove (read: the entire apartment smells like grease for dayzzzz), so a baked empanada is TOTALLY my style.

While you can definitely use regular all-purpose flour for this dough, I would recommend trying to find Italian "00" flour (easily available on Amazon or specialty cooking stores), which is a finely milled flour that's amazing for making things like pizza dough and bread.

It produces a crust that is the perfect mix of chewy and crisp--totally worth it if you can find it!

For the filling, I used smoked Spanish-style chorizo that I chopped coursely in the food processor and then cooked with a mix of vegetables including cauliflower, carrots, and spinach (you could easily substitute your favorites, or even chop up leftover veggies like potatoes, butternut squash, or broccoli.)

It's a little bit of a lighter twist on the more traditional filling, which usually combines potatoes with the sausage.

A slice of hardboiled egg is another classic touch (though feel free to skip if that's not your thing.)

As for the crimping, I have to confess that this has never been my strong suit. I seriously just don't have the patience for the traditional twists and folds--I'll do it for a couple, and then just use a fork to crimp the rest. It makes absolutely ZERO difference to the flavor, so don't stress about it too much.

These will keep well for a few days and can be reheated in a toaster oven for a quick breakfast or afternoon snack. I also love them cold for lunch. You may want to double the batch...

Let me know what you think about these if you try them! Post a pic on Instagram or Twitter and use the hashtag #alwaysorderdessert. Can't wait to see your creations!

****
Love Always Order Dessert? Let's connect! Follow me on Twitter or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates. And if you ever need any entertaining or cooking advice, please don't hesitate to e-mail me. Thanks for reading!    

 

Baked Argentinian Chorizo Empanadas 
Makes about 10 large empanadas

Ingredients
For the Dough
3 cups type "00" flour OR use regular all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons sweet smoked Spanish paprika
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
1 cup half & half or heavy cream

For the filling
1 pound smoked Spanish-style chorizo (should be fully-cooked--not fresh chorizo)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
2 cups cauliflower florets
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups baby spinach
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
2 hardboiled eggs, sliced (optional)

1 large egg, slightly beaten

Directions
First prepare the dough: combine flour, salt, and paprika in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and egg yolk, and pulse again until evenly combined. Turn on and slowly add the cream until the dough comes together in a large ball (you may not need all the cream).

Remove dough from food processor, divide in half, and form into a disc. Wrap each disc in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the filling.

Prepare the filling: Place chorizo links in the food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onions and chorizo. Saute for 2-3 minutes, then add the cauliflower, carrots, and broth. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer until vegetables are very tender and most of the water has evaporated. Remove from heat and stir in the baby spinach (the heat from the meat will wilt the spinach). Let cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat.
Remove dough from the fridge and working with one disc at a time, roll it out to about 1/8" of an inch thick. Use an upside-down bowl to cut out rounds about 5-6 inches in diameter.

Fill each round with a few spoonfuls of the mixture plus one slice of egg. Brush the edges with the beaten egg, and fold over, then crimp with a fork or your fingers. Place on the prepared baking sheet, then repeat with rest of dough. (You can also brush the entire empanada with a bit more egg for more of a glossy crust.)

Bake 20 - 25 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Serve hot.

Make-ahead Note: You can also freeze the unbaked empanadas for baking later.

0

Rigatoni with Chorizo and Spicy Chipotle Cream Sauce

As much as I tried to fight it, it seems that Autumn has officially come and settled in for the next few months. Along with jackets and warmer clothing, I find myself being drawn to heartier, more comforting recipes for dinner. The kind of dishes that come together quickly, and are best shared in large bowls around the table with family and friends.

This Rigatoni with Chorizo and Spicy Chipotle Cream Sauce is a new favorite pasta dish that I'm fairly confident will be making many appearances on our table during the coming months. It's the first of several Latin-inspired pasta recipes I've been creating as part of my partnership with Barilla this Fall, and I have to say it may be hard to beat!

Creamy and comforting, it uses some of my favorite traditional Latin ingredients--smoky chipotle peppers, spicy Mexican chorizo, bright fresh cilantro, and combines them in a rich and creamy sauce that's incredibly satisfying, and perfect after a long day of work.

For this dish, I chose Barilla Mezzi Rigatoni--a small pasta shape that is perfect with the rich sauce as it seems to scoop it up in every bite. You can easily substitute any of your other favorite small pasta shapes--penne or large shells would work well, too--to personalize the dish for your family.

Depending on what pasta shape you choose, be sure to cook them 1-2 minutes LESS than the package directions so that you get "al dente" perfection (that's about 9 minutes for the Mezzi Rigatoni, but may be a couple minutes more or less depending on the pasta shape you choose) before adding to the sauce.

(Click here to check out some of my favorite tips for cooking perfect pasta every time.)

Note that if you have a busy week, this is actually one of those dishes that can be prepared in advance. I love to make a big batch on a Sunday afternoon when I have more time, then reheat during the week.

It's a great way to enjoy a homemade meal and quality time with your family, without having to spend much time during the busy workweek to prepare it. All you have to do is toss together a quick salad to serve along with the pasta, and you have a complete meal the whole family will enjoy together!

For more easy pasta recipes with Latin flavors, visit pastaatuestilo.com. This is a sponsored post written as part of my ongoing partnership with Barilla, however, the recipes and opinions are entirely my own. I have not been paid to publish positive sentiments towards Barilla or their products.

Barilla Rigatoni with Chorizo and Spicy Chipotle Cream Sauce
Serves 8

Ingredients
1 pound box of Barilla Mezzi Rigatoni or other small pasta shape (like penne or large shells)
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 pound fresh Mexican chorizo, removed from casings (you can also substitute fresh turkey or chicken chorizo for a lighter option)
2 red bell peppers, diced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon smoked spanish paprika (optional)
Zest of one whole lemon, finely grated
3 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely minced + more for garnish
1 cup grated cotija cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Bring 1 gallon of water to boil in a large pot. Once the water is boiling, season  with 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt.

While the water boils, place a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Cook the onions for 2-3 minutes, until translucent, then add the fresh chorizo, breaking it up with a wooden spoon and cooking until fully browned (about 5 minutes). Add the red bell pepper, garlic, the chipotle peppers (use 1 or 2 depending on how much spice you like), the paprika, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, the heavy cream, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a gentle simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly. Remove from heat.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook 1-2 minutes less than package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water, and add the cooked pasta to the sauce along with the cilantro and return to the heat for 1-2 minutes, tossing to coat well. Add a little bit of the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce if it seems too thick.

Remove from heat, stir in the cotija cheese, and season with black pepper and additional salt to taste. Garnish with additional cilantro just before serving.

0