Gangsta! Pork Crown Roast

While poking around the Internet, I happened across www.NationaldayCalendar.com and found that March 7th is 'National Crown Roast Day'. Personally, I enjoy making a crown roast during the Christmas season. It is a very elegant looking dish that tends to impress your guests. I purchased my beautiful roast from a local Italian Market. They did a beautiful job preparing the pork loin and even gave us the cute little 'hats' as my wife calls them. Whether you bake it for Christmas or hold out until National Crown Roast Day, it is a  really simple main dish and looks so sophisticated.

1 cup of olive oil

1 cup of chopped rosemary

½ cup sage

½ cup thyme

 1 cup of chicken stock

1 cup of water

½ cup of sugar

salt and pepper to taste

In a medium sauce pot, add olive oil, rosemary, sage, thyme, chicken stock, and water. Boil these ingredients for twenty minutes to extract the flavor.

Allow the mixture to cool for one hour, then, add half a cup of  sugar.

Use this mixture to marinate the roast for 24 hours

Preheat the oven to 400.

Bake the roast for 30 minute then lower the temperature to 350. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 150 to 155.

It will take one and a half hours to two hours to cook depending on your oven and the size of your roast.

Gangsta! Guava BBQ Chicken Wings

My wife wasn't a big fan of Guava when I first met her. She had tasted some Guava Sherbet years ago that totally turned her off. After we were married, I made Guava and cream cheese Empanadas. She has been sold on Guava ever since. She even purchased a Guava tree for our home this past spring - maybe she has gone overboard? As a treat to my wife and family, I make a Guava BBQ sauce to use on our chicken wings. Of course it's a hit! I am the Gangsta in Da Kitchen after all.

Ingredients for quick sauce:

Jack Daniels barbeque sauce or your favorite barbeque sauce

1 cup of Guava paste in a jar or ½ a block of Guava paste

Zest of an orange

Zest of Lime

Chicken Wings

In a medium sauce pan, add the whole bottle of barbecue sauce, along with all of the other sauce ingredients for 10 to 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350

Place the chicken wings on a baking pan and place in the oven.

After 10 minutes start basting the chicken wings.

Continue to baste every ten minutes.

The wings will need to cook for at least 40 minutes

Alternative use for Guava BBQ sauce:

Use this sauce to baste a whole turkey. If you're going to bake a 20 or more pound turkey you could start basting the turkey after the first 45 minutes and baste every 15 minutes until the turkey is cooked completely.

What are some ways you have used my version of Guava BBQ sauce?

Fruitastic Bread Pudding

Fruitastic Bread Pudding

One of the first things I learned to bake from my mom, Zaida, was bread pudding. It is a happy memory that I hold dear to my heart. Over the years I have made different versions, adding my own twist, including this Fruitastic version. Enjoy!

1 Regular Size can of Fruit Cocktail, drained
1 cup of Strawberries, chopped
1 Loaf of Day Old Bread (any type - I used Cuban Bread)
1 TBSP of Vanilla extract
6 eggs
1 cup of milk (whole or 2%)
1 TBSP Cinnamon
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup Orange Juice (pulp free)
1 small can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

Cube the bread into about 1-2" cubes

In a bowl, mix the Milk, Sweetened Condensed Milk, Eggs, and Cinnamon until evenly mixed

Add the cubed bread, strawberries and drained Fruit Cocktail - Let the mixture soak for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350

Put mixture into a loaf pan or 8x8 baking pan, Set the pan in a large pan filled half way with water.

Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Mix orange juice and powdered sugar to create a glaze.

You can pour the glaze over the whole pudding or on the slices when you plate them or use as a dipping sauce, It's up to you!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Flan - A twist on a Holiday Flavor

Holiday Flan - Pumpkin Cream Cheese

Every holiday season, pumpkin comes front and center. Whether it is a pumpkin spiced latte, bread or traditional pumpkin pie - the pumpkin is everywhere! The texture of flan and pumpkin make for a delicious creamy dessert you may wish to add to your holiday menu for years to come.

1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk (small can)
1 Can Evaporated Milk (regular size)
5 large eggs
1 TBSP Vanilla Extract
1/2 TBSP Cinnamon
1/2 TBSP Nutmeg

3/4 of can of pumpkin
1 cream cheese softened
1 1/3 C Sugar
1/2 C Water
8x8 glass baking pan
will need another pan that the smaller pan can  fit into

Add 1 c. of sugar and 1/2 C water in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat. Stirring occasionally until a light brown caramel forms. Don't walk away - this can quickly burn if you aren't careful.

Pour the caramel into the 8x8 pan. Pick up the pan and swirl the mixture so it covers the bottom and the sides of the pan - one inch up the side of the pan. Set pan to the side to cool for 30 minutes - don't put it in the fridge as it could crack.

Preheat the oven to 350

Filling:
In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and 1/3 c. of sugar until fluffy and light
Mix in cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and pumpkin. Make sure these are evenly mixed in.
Add the eggs to the mixture and beat for two minutes to ensure they are nicely incorporated
Add the whole can of sweetened condensed milk.
Using the empty can of sweetened condensed milk, measure the evaporated milk and add to mixture.
We want equal parts of each milk
Mix thoroughly - make sure the mixture is smooth
Pour the flan mixture in the pan with the caramel
Fill larger pan with water (about halfway) and place the smaller pan in the water bath
Put both trays in the oven
Bake for 1 hour or until the top of the flan is set
Flan is set when you touch the top of the flan and it feels firm
After baking, set the smaller pan with the flan to the side to cool for about thirty minutes, then put it in the fridge for at least 8 hours

After chilling, pass a knife around the edges of the pan, then place the serving dish on top of the pan
Hold both together while you flip the flan onto the serving dish.

TIPS:
When passing the knife around the edges of the flan, it is best to warm the knife first by dipping it in warm water. It will make the un-molding a lot cleaner

Stuffed Bell Pepper with Vodka Sauce

I made this tasty dish for my family last night. It turns out that one bell pepper per person was too much! Even as much as I love to eat, I struggled to finish my pepper. With that said, one pepper should be plenty for two persons if served as a main dish.

The filling can be made a day ahead of time but don't add the eggs until you are ready to fill the pepper.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of Brown rice
4 Green Bell Peppers
3 Eggs
1 C. of Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 Carrot, diced
1/2 Onion, diced
1/2 Fennel Bulb, diced 1
 lb of ground Turkey
1 Tbsp Chopped Roasted Garlic
1 Can Diced Roasted Tomatoes
2 Bouillon cubes (chicken or vegetable flavor)
1/4 C. Mild Enchilada Sauce
2 Tbsp. Vinegar Hot Sauce to taste
1/2 C. Italian Bread Crumbs
1/3 C. Ground Parmesan Cheese
1 1/2 C. Vodka Sauce (choose your favorite brand of jarred Vodka Sauce)

 Filling:
Saute the onions, carrots and leeks for 2-3 minutes until soft.

Add TBSP of chopped roasted garlic (if you don't have roasted chopped garlic it's OK to use regular chopped garlic)

While sauteing the vegetables cook Brown Rice according to package instructions

Add ground turkey to the vegetable mixture and cook until turkey begins to brown

Add a whole can of diced roasted tomatoes, enchilada sauce, vinegar and bouillon cubes. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes (we need to reduce the liquid to about half) on medium high heat

Add hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste

After the liquid has been reduced to half, pour the vegetable mixture into a large bowl.

Add the cooked Brown rice to the bowl and mix gently.

Place bowl in the fridge for 45-60 minutes to cool completely

Time to Fill the Peppers!
Preheat the oven at 350

Wash, remove top, and core the Bell Peppers - place on a lined baking sheet or baking pan - pour some Vodka Sauce on the bottom of the pan to prevent the Peppers from burning on the bottom. A 8" square pan will hold four peppers nicely

Take cooled mixture from the fridge and mix in the cheddar cheese and eggs

Fill the Bell Peppers to the top with the mixture

 In a small bowl mix the Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs, use this mixture to create a thin layer on top of the peppers

Bake for 45-60 minutes to ensure the top is golden brown A

After removing the Peppers from the oven, allow to cool for about 5 minutes

Cut the peppers in half and put on plate Drizzle warm Vodka Sauce over the Peppers
Serve and Enjoy!

Serves 8 unless your belly can handle a whole pepper, then Serves 4 :)