Seriously, this is so ridiculously delicious!!! My amiga Stephanie has an ice cream maker so she is always having ice cream parties. She asked me to made a Spanglish topping and this is what I came up with…

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED: 

Whipped Cream

1 C Heavy Whipping Cream

1/4 Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla

HERE’S THE HOW TO:

Mix all ingredients with a hand mixer until you have a fluffy mound of whipped cream - set aside!

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

5 Tblsp butter

1/2 C Brown Sugar

1 teaspoon Instant Espresso

1 Pinch Salt

2 Pinches Cayenne Pepper

2 teaspoons of Vanilla Extract

HERE’S THE HOW TO:

In a sauce pan melt butter and add sugar, cook at medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved. It’s important to dissolve the sugar so your sauce isn’t grainy! Then add espresso, salt, pepper and vanilla. Whisk to incorporate all ingredients. Add whipped cream and whisk together….Add to your favorite ice cream…Que Rico!

(Source: youtube.com)

So I’m working on my Spanglish Cookbook, if you are in my neighborhood, please stop in for leftovers. I wanted to pay a little homage to the chefs, moms, dads…people who have inspired this magic in the kitchen we call Latin Cuisine. So I interviewed a few of my friends;  

This is Frances Mercado she lives in Savannah Georgia. And finally can you give me your favorite Spanglish recipe?

When did you learn how to cook?  When I got married in 1994.  My husband was PR so I had some big shoes to fill.

Who taught/inspired you?  My mom taught me the basics before I moved out.  I took notes on how to make white rice and beans.  That was it.  And yes, I had notes.  lol

What type of cuisine do you cook? From what region/country?  I could eat rice and beans every day.  But, my meal is not complete with out a side salad with adobo, olive oil, and avocado.

What is the first thing you ever cooked? I cooked Uncle Ben’s white rice (in the microwave) and I sprinkled sazon on it after it was cooked.  It was the nastiest thing I have ever tasted.

What does Latin food mean to you?  It feeds my soul.  You can always taste the love and compassion that was put into the meal.  What’s amazing is, 3 different families can cook the same rice and beans and all have different flavors while the seasonings are somewhat similar.  It’s a signature I believe.

Do you remember the first time someone said WOW this is amazing…about your food? Yes, it was after I had been married for some time.  I make chicken on the stove.  (pollo gizado).  I cooked it until the meat just wanted to fall off of the bone.  It was so good, everyone sucks the bones for the marrow. Yum! Until this day its my picky son’s favorite.

And finally can you give me your favorite Spanglish recipe?

Dry Spagettie- This is my favorite dish my grandmother Loudivina used to make.

Noodles
Ragu (yes, Ragu lol)
Olive Oil
Oregeno
Adoboe
Sazon
Garlic
Salt
Black Pepper
Sofrito/Rec
2 Bay Leaves
Chicken, dark meat

Cook sauce for 2 hours on low heat.  
Cook Chicken separate any way you like.
Cook noodles.
Peel meat off bone and cut into pieces.
Mix all together.

Thanks so much Frances, I can’t wait to try this.  Que Rico!

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

2 - 3 Chicken Breasts

5 Green Tomatoes**

1 Clove Garlic

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Tablespoon Sugar

2 Fresh Roasted Ears of Corn - Roast over stove, then shuck the corn off the cob

2 Fresh Roasted Anaheim or Poblano Peppers

2 Jalepeno Peppers

1/2 Cup of Cilantro****

1 Bay Leaf

1/2 Med Onion

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The Juice of 1/2 a Lime

HERE’S THE HOW TO:

Salt your chicken and brown in a hot pan. Set aside. Stove Roast your peppers and corn (see my sweating peppers blog for details) Boil Tomatoes in salted water until soft. Blend cooked tomatoes, garlic, salt, sugar and cilantro to a chunky texture. In the same pan you browned the chicken, sautee onions until translucent, add your chopped peppers. Add tomato mixture, roasted corn and bay leaf. If your sauce is too thick, add some of the water from the tomatoes you boiled. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low flame. Add tofu and lime juice. Cook for another 5 minutes and serve. 

** I Substitute Tomatillos for Green Tomatoes - Spanglish cooking is all about using fresh ingredients you can find in any grocery store. Since it may be hard to find tomatillos you can use green tomatoes then add the juice of a 1/2 a lime for the tartness you normally get from the tomatillo.

***By Roasting your corn and peppers over the stove, you are enhancing the natural sweetness and creating the smokey flavor that you find in authentic Mexican recipes. It really adds a depth of flavor. However, you can always use canned corn and chop your peppers and sautee with your onions. 

****(Some people don’t like Cilantro,  Flat Leaf Parsley has a nice fresh peppery smell and is a nice substitute